Spark of a Predacon I: Dragon Hearts
by Spiritstrike
Summary: They say a little bit of kindness goes a long way. A friendship between a beast, a human, and a rookie can make all the difference in the world. But such a friendship is without consequences, and the choices that are made will mean life... or death.
1. Enter the Dragons

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

 **Enter the Dragons**

* * *

The first thing she became aware of was that she was floating in some sort of warm, cushion like liquid. She realised she was curled up. She was encased in walls, walls that were almost unbreakable. So she slept, and when she slept, she dreamed. Dreams that were strange, she often saw herself flying in the sky, hunting, and killing her prey. She even heard herself roaring with every successful kill. But when she sometimes woke from her rest, the memories eluded her grasp. She sensed she was safe inside this cocoon and that there was nothing to fear.

Then, she heard a voice, a voice that sounded… alien. It talked to her, she tried to talk to it with her thoughts, tried to make a sound, but it didn't seem to heed her or bubbles often escaped her maw. It spoke in a voice unlike anything she had heard before. It told her to call it 'The Creator'.

She listened to it, it told her to obey. If she obeyed, she would be rewarded with food unlike anything she had ever tasted. The Creator spoke of a future that would result in her freedom, free to fly where she wished, to eat wherever she wanted. She liked that idea, and she listened to it carefully.

As long as the Creator talked, she told herself that she would obey. She would obey for as long as she lived, as long as her spark burned inside her, just like the fire that flowed in her chassis.

She didn't know how long she slept and listened to the Creator, but she sensed that she would soon leave this peaceful slumber. She felt she would soon be needed.

And needed she was.

She was suddenly jolted by a current. It didn't hurt, but it definitely caused her to stir. The shock came again, stronger this time. She twitched a talon, something that she had not been aware of before. Another jolt. Her tail flickered. Another came, and she felt her optics slowly open. Light came in, but it was all the colour of green, blurry and bubbly. She saw a tall two-legged purple figure with only one optic and a strange looking arm.

The cushion liquid that had kept her safe for so long began to drain. The colours became more sharper and she blinked. She realised she could move and she twitched her tail in anticipation. A surge of power flowed through her front legs and she found herself pressing her talons against the container that had kept her in for so long.

Nothing happened.

She pressed again, but with a lot more force.

When nothing happened again, frustration pulsed through her chest. She would not be contained any longer! She hissed, smoke escaping from her maw and she threw her chassis at the invisible wall. Cracks spiderwebbed and she realised what she had to do.

She whipped her tail and threw herself even harder against it. More cracks appeared. The figure stood unmoved, watching stoically. She growled and gathered her strength. She lunged forward and the invisible wall shattered to pieces, the remaining liquid that coated her frame dripped into puddles on the floor.

She was free!

She slammed a clawed forepaw on the metal floor and slithered out, snaking her head in all directions. She found herself stretching catlike. Her tail straightened out for the first time in a very long time. It felt like she hadn't seen the world since she first realised she was alive. Her olfactory sensors quivered as she tested the air and she tensed her muscle cables. She and the figure were not alone. She turned her head to her left and hissed softly.

There was another.

It was larger than her to the point where its neck allowed it to tower over her, and its head was covered in rows of sharp spikes, almost like a crown. Its jaws were encased in four mandibles, two on the top and two on the bottom. Its armour was jet black, orange, and silver and its optics were a deep gold. Its tail was very long and it ended in a pair of serrated claws that seemed to snap without a second thought.

The creature swivelled its head to look at her. It too was opening and closing its nostrils and she realised it had picked up her scent. It tilted its head when its saw her and she immediately sensed that it was a male. From the way he carried his posture; back straight, neck arched, mandibles clicking, tail and hackles raised. He was showing his dominance.

She lowered her head submissively, feeling that she should allow him to exert his power.

He walked over, his neck bending forward and he sniffed her neck, chest, and faceplates. She stood still, shivering as he took her in. Once he was finished, he pulled back and growled softly. It was not a threat. She growled back, but she lowered her voice to a softer response. She knew what he was saying and she knew what she was saying back.

Hello.

The purple figure finally stepped forward and pressed a servo to each of their chests and she found herself purring with delight. She suddenly realised who he was: The Creator.

He spoke in a language she did not understand, but she realised that he wanted her and her companion to follow. A colourful light suddenly appeared behind him and she looked up at her new friend. He angled his head in response. They had to obey the Creator, for he had promised them rewards of greatness.

The Creator stepped towards the swirling vortex and the large male followed after him. She was right behind him, excitement coursed through her legs and she could not help but let her tail show it. The male looked back at her with a quizzical expression and she knew he was asking her something: _what was she doing?_

She did the movement again and he immediately understood, but he gave low growl and rattled his armour. She understood what she meant: _there is no time for playing_. She lowered herself to a submissive pose; belly low to the ground, neck exposed, tail flat on the ground. He snorted and kept walking after the Creator and she followed after him.

They stepped into the vortex and into a whole new world.

* * *

"You have been busy, Shockwave."

The Decepticon lord – Megatron – looked up and down at the two creatures that stood behind the scientist. He had never seen anything like them before. One appeared to be larger and far more aggressive than his smaller, swifter companion. The small blue one was standing closer to the larger male, wide golden optics sweeping over its strange new environment and its tail twitched with nervousness. The male even growled at anything that got too close to the both of them, but he did not leer at Shockwave.

"Indeed I have, my lord," Shockwave replied, nodding at the two beasts behind him.

"What in the Allspark are they?!" demanded Starscream as he pointed a digit at them.

"They are the first of many," Shockwave answered as he ordered the small blue creature to lower its head and he pressed a hand to its forehead. "They were extinct long before we learned how to understand and process. Legends told they hunted our kind to near extinction. They are Predacons."

A smirk crossed Megatron's scarred lips. "So you cloned these creatures?" he asked.

Shockwave continued petting the creature's forehead and it purred softly. "Yes," he said. "I discovered fossils of the creatures and grew them in test tubes in my lab. They are the first generation of clones."

"If the legends are true," Megatron mused as he continued to stare at the Predacon pair, "then their sensors are far more acute than ours."

"A drop of energon is more than enough for the both of them to track," Shockwave answered. Megatron grinned again and he made a gesture to a nearby trooper. The Vehicon came forward with a small canister filled with a bright blue liquid. Energon. He handed it to Shockwave and he examined it carefully. It was energon spilled from the escaped Wheeljack. That was more than enough. He turned and presented it to the two Predacons.

* * *

The male leaned his head forward and the female copied his movement. The male seemed to glare at the canister and he sniffed it deeply, allowing the scent to flow through his sensors. The female did the same, but when she was finished examining it, she pulled her lips back and growled fiercely.

The male threw his head and roared to the heavens. She understood what he meant and she felt the urge to soar. She let her shoulders stretch and shape into massive batlike wings. Because the male was larger, his wings dwarfed her small frame and she wished she was bigger, but she would not complain to the Creator. He wouldn't understand anyway.

The male flapped his impressive wings and he took flight, heading east. She had to flap twice to get airborne, but at long last the rush of air pushed her off the ground. She found herself tilting a little, but she adjusted her angle with her tail and she followed after her companion and the scent that their masters wanted them to track.

And to kill.

Long years of being asleep and dreaming of flight had led to this moment.

She was finally free.

* * *

 **The time has come for a brand new Transformers story with the completion of** **Guardian Angel** **. There have probably been a few stories with Predaking not being the only Predacon added to the story, but I took some inspiration from** **Not Alone** **by Crystal Rosewing and I must say her story is really good!**

 **It's been a very long time since I wrote a story that actually involved by very own original character, but I will do my best to not make her a Mary Sue. I hope she will appeal to you as the story progresses.**

 **Please enjoy!**


	2. First Failure

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

 **First Failure**

* * *

Never had she felt so alive as she soared higher and higher into the clouds. She stretched her wings, blocking out the sun and letting its rays warm her frame. She hadn't realised that her metallic frame was of dark and bright blues blended in together. She wondered what she looked like and wished she could peer into a place where she could see her reflection. She must look really strange.

A roar from her male companion brought her out from her thoughts and she jolted back into reality. She looked down and spotted him gliding effortlessly below her, his head shifting to the sides in search of their prey. She flew down until she was right alongside him and he growled at her warningly.

' _We're hunting,'_ he seemed to say. _'Concentrate.'_

She obeyed without question and she flapped her wings, her optics scanning for any signs of their designated prey. While she searched with keen optics, he searched with scent. She kept glancing back at him to check to see if they were getting close. Unlike him, her olfactory sensors were less effective than his. He had to be the one to find them.

She had no idea what they were looking for. All she knew was that they were hunting for someone who had the energon scent, and they were going to kill them. She couldn't help but be puzzled as to why the masters wanted them to track the energon-bleeder. Maybe they were alone like them? Maybe they wanted to find more of their kind? Or maybe… they wanted them dead for a particular reason?

She voiced her question to her companion and he snorted impatiently. He was right, they shouldn't question their masters' motives, especially the Creator's. Whatever reason for them wanting the owner of the energon dead, it was their business. They were here to kill and that was the end of it.

Suddenly the male hissed and his mandibles widened. She swivelled her head to look at him, confused. He growled deeply and she knew what he was referring to when she sniffed the air. The owner of the energon's scent was getting stronger.

Night was descending upon the land, turning the skies black, and a full, white moon rose above them, granting them light. A growl from the male Predacon drew her attention, followed by a loud roar from his vocal processor. She scanned the ground, her optical sensors zooming in on the target, and she found herself roaring with excitement.

Below them were two Cybertronians. One of them white, and the other green. Unlike their masters, these Cybertronians did not have red optics. They were a pale blue, and they were wide with terror as the male blotted out the moonlight with his impressive wingspan.

She flew below him, looking down at their prey. They had found their target!

A cry of fear drew her attention and she zoomed in closer and she blinked. Clutched in the servos of the green mech was a small humanoid unlike anything she had seen before. It was so tiny that she could barely even see it. It was covered in strange patterned armour and it had a tuff of fur on the top of its head that ended in a tail that was tied back. The creature was pointing up at the Predacons and was shouting something to her Cybertronian friends.

Unfortunately, she couldn't understand any of it, but it was enough to get her companion to swoop down toward them, his chest opening as he powered it up to breathe his fire. The mechs below them turned and fled as a ball of flame spat from his mouth and exploded behind them, sending them flying.

She rattled her wings and pushed downward, claws outstretched. She gathered the power in her chest panels and unleashed a jet of ice from her maw, surprising her but she kept pushing. The ice impacted the ground just inches from the mechs' feet, the ice freezing the ground on impact. Slag, she missed! She roared in frustration and allowed her wings to collapse into her body. She landed with a heavy thud and she towered over the two mechs, optics gleaming with fury.

The male also landed but the mechs got to their feet and pointed their weapons at the both of them. Before she could understand what was happening, blasts of bullets pelted off their metal skin and she found herself snarling in anger. How dare they attack them! She pivoted around and slammed her tail into the closest mech; the green one. He fell on his back while dropping the creature in his hand.

With nowhere to run, the white mech shouted something and threw something at them, which exploded in the male's face. The male let off a hiss of pain and he grabbed him in his jaws, shaking him as hard as he could. She turned from them and stalked towards the green mech, allowing the power in her chest to form and she spat a glob of ice that froze his feet to the ground.

She had him!

She leered over him, lips pulling back into a growl to make the finishing blow. Pain suddenly ripped through her back and she howled in agony. She heard her friend's bellow of alarm and she whipped around, only to be sent flying from a force unlike anything she had felt before! Rage blinded her and she thrashed in determination to escape whatever it was that had a hold of her. Her talons raked against metal, but it seemed to have no affect at all. Pain seared through her again and her world turned white.

The thing that had her trapped pulled away and she struggled to get back on her feet. Her friend roared loudly and she raised her head, spotting him from afar on top of a mountain, wings spread, head raised high in defiance to the world, a billowing cloud of blue smoke and fire seemed to illuminate him in the night. She roared back and he turned his head to her, optics narrowing in anger at the sight of her battered form.

He jumped into the air and spread his wings, his mandibles opening in an ear-piercing shriek of fury. She shook her head to clear some of the whiteness that clouded her vision and a movement caught her attention. The mechs were climbing onto the very thing that had pinned her!

She bellowed ferociously and took off, rage coursing through her energon filled veins. Her larger companion was closer to the strange bird and he swiped a claw at it, but it only seemed to scrape off its thick skin. The bird took off, its wings glowing with power and it shot off and away from them.

No way was it getting away from them! She flew after them, roaring in anger. The male flapped harder, struggling to catch up with the bird that had their targets. She pushed even harder and she shot past him. She stretched out her talons and seized the bird with every ounce of strength she had. She felt it shake beneath her weight, but she dug in and pulled herself up.

The wind whistled in her audio receptors and she found herself sliding from the force. She looked back and saw her friend, but she couldn't hear his roars over the wind. She couldn't understand what he was saying! She felt the sting of bullets pelt against her armour and she lashed her tail in frustration, catching the gun with her bladed tail and cutting it clean off. She would not fail her masters, not like this! She climbed up the side of the bird and onto its back where she found more stability. It wouldn't be a vulnerable spot to pierce through with her talons and teeth, though, she had to get further up.

Her companion was drawing alongside the bird in an attempt to slow it down. Hot jets of plasma from his maw coated the bird, leaving singe marks that would make her jealous.

She kept climbing until she was at the head of the bird and she turned her head to peer into his black optics. She didn't see anything for a moment until she found herself staring into the face of an unknown Cybertronian. He was flying the bird? Behind him she could see the two mechs with the tiny organic clutched tightly in the green one's servos. She snarled and lifted a paw in an attempt to break the glass.

 _*Look out!*_

Confused, she turned to look behind her, only to realise too late what was about to happen.

The Cybertronian's face contorted into determination and she felt searing white hot pain burst through her back and head. Rocks dinged off her back and she found herself falling, unable to use her wings.

She was falling, falling, falling.

Above, the bird flew further away, but through the whiteness of her vision, she caught the sight of the male Predacon falling after her, his talons outstretched in order to catch her. Gentle talons grabbed her midsection and she was lifted before she could hit the ground. She looked up groggily and he peered down at her, bemusement in his deep gold optics.

Unfortunately, the horrible truth of the situation had sunk into her processor.

They had failed.

As if he sensed her distress, the male Predacon crooned softly and he flapped to regain his altitude. It didn't make her feel any better, but she let him carry her back to the fortress. She hung loosely in his grip, her thoughts processing what would happen when they returned to their masters. She shivered in thought, but a gentle stroke of a talon on her back put her at ease, if only slightly.

They would have to face the fact that they had failed their first mission since their birth.

* * *

 **Yup, things went to hell and back it seems. What's going to happen when they get back from their failed mission? Will there be petting and belly rubs? Will there be shaken fingers? Or is there going to be something a whole lot worse? Only time will tell.**

 **Also, I apologise for the short chapters. Best way to get things rolling, eh?**


	3. Huntress of the Skies

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:**

 **Huntress of the Skies**

* * *

When the two Predacons returned to the fortress, the female felt her spark suddenly sink. When the male gently dropped her at the top of the tower, she lowered her body with her belly touching the ground and her chin pressing against the cold hard floor. Her optics remained peeled to the floor, unable to look at her masters in the optic. How could she when she had failed on the first hunt? She was nothing but useless.

The male landed a short distance away as the Creator approached them. And just like before, his expression was unreadable. No one could read the single optic in his head. She flinched with pain as he pressed a clawed hand to her injured back to examine the damage.

"So, it would seem the reptiles have failed," sneered the small, winged silver mech.

Wait, she could understand them now? She shifted her gaze to the male and the expression on his maw was more than enough to convince her that he too knew what was being said.

"It would appear to be so," hummed the larger fanged mech. He strolled up to them, red optics narrowing at the sight of the female's condition. "The Predacons were meant to hunt down the Autobots and bring them here to me. Why did they fail?"

The Creator said nothing as he pulled something out from his subspace pocket and pressed it to her back. She bared her fangs and snarled in discomfort. She could've sworn she heard a slight growl coming from her companion, but no one paid any heed to it. The Creator looked back at him and showed in his servo what it was: it was some sort of healing gel. The pain in her back had subsided to no more than a mere sting. She would heal with time, but she might possibly get some scarring.

"I wish I knew, my lord," the Creator replied once he had finished dabbing her back. "Logic would dictate that the Autobots may have had help, help that was more than enough to send the both of them flying back to us with their claws empty."

The larger mech's optics contorted into a deep frown. "They were beaten by a mere Autobot?"

The Creator shook his head. "Negative, my lord," he replied. "Only the female came back with most of the damage on her frame. The male had remained untouched. It would seem that whatever it was that had injured her was enough to get the male to retrieve her and retreat."

She lowered her head even further to the ground when the large master stormed up to them, clawed hands turning into fists. Something hard connected with her face and she found herself flying and landing roughly on her side, aggravating her injured back. A squeal of pain erupted from her mouth and she found herself unable to get back up. A hard, flat object pressed against her back and she howled with agony.

"You cost the hunt by your sheer stupidity!" the voice of the master snarled above her.

She struggled to escape the hold the master had of her, but he continued to press down on her back. Why wasn't the Creator helping her? What had she done to deserve this?! She had known from the start that her failure would cause punishment, but never like this! She shrieked as more pressure was applied to her back and she thrashed wildly, claws and teeth scraping against the force that held her down. Her tail swiped but it didn't seem to have any effect on him either!

She was far too weak to even resist any further and her vision started to blacken from the pain.

Then, the pressure was lifted off her and the pain stopped. A roar deafened her audio receptors and a shadow stood over her, blocking out the moonlight above her. Wings shielded her from view and something warm curled around her terrified frame. From the corner of her optics, she realised that it was her friend who had pushed the master off of her and he was hovering over her protectively.

He roared again, louder this time. The spikes on his head bristled with fury, the mandibles on his jaws clicked with his hisses and roars.

The master that he had pushed off was getting back to his feet, a trail of energon was dripping from the corner of his lips and three claw marks glowed in the moonlight on his chest panels.

"Seems like the Predacons have grown attached to each other," the small silver mech whispered to the Creator.

"Indeed," the Creator agreed.

"I should have them both executed for their failure, Shockwave," the large master growled as he used a claw to wipe the energon from his mouth. "But seeing as how they may still prove useful to us…"

The male hissed as he drew closer and his tail curled even tighter around her frame. She shivered with fear, but the reassuring form of her friend was enough to put her processor at ease. She didn't understand what was going. What was the master saying? Why was he so mad at their failure? Why did he attack her like that? Had she done something wrong to deserve such atrocities? It only added more fuel to the fire of her confusion and she felt her armour rattle with fear, fear for herself… and fear for her friend.

"Shockwave," the large mech growled and she opened her optics and looked up in confusion, "send the female off to hunt down the Autobots. If she is to prove that she is capable of working alongside us, she must destroy them." He pointed a claw at her and she flinched under his gaze. "Have the male stay behind. We may have more of use for him."

The Creator bowed. "Yes, my lord."

The leader then turned to the small silver mech. "Starscream, you will be in charge of the male Predacon's… training."

The silver mech, whom he had identified as Starscream, rubbed his claws together. "Oh, it would be a pleasure, my master."

The Creator approached the two Predacons and pried the male off the female. He took out another canister filled with blue energon and presented it to her. Confusion swept over her and she sniffed it. Her friend tried to lean over and sniff it too, but the Creator pushed him back. Why didn't he want him to come with her? Had he done something wrong?

She tried to voice her question to the Creator, but he simply looked at her as though her words didn't make much sense. She lowered her hackles and did as she was told, sniffing the contents of the energon. It didn't smell like the one they had been tracking before. It smelt different this time. Her sense of smell wasn't as good as her friend's, but deep down, if she was to prove that she was capable of standing alongside her creator… she would have to track down the Cybertronians on her own.

Once she had enough of the scent, she spread her wings in preparation for flight, but the male quickly stopped her with a soft growl and she paused. He leaned closer to her and pressed a cheek to hers, his mandibles clicking softly as they brushed against her metallic skin. She knew what he was trying to say: _come back safely._

She gently licked his muzzle in response and took off to the sky. Looking back would only make the leaving more difficult, so she forced herself to fly onward. But her audio receptors managed to pick up the distressed roars as she vanished into the fading darkness of the dawn.

She didn't know how long she was flying for, but scent of her target only seemed to grow fainter. She cursed herself for having such a weak sense of smell, it only added more to her frustration. She felt oddly empty without her Predacon companion, but she shifted to a glide, allowing the wind currents to carry her as far as it would blow.

Now that she was alone, she couldn't help but gaze down at the land below her. Colours of gold, brown, and green dotted the landscape, not unlike anything she had seen before. She guessed that the brown and gold belonged to the ground, but she wasn't sure what the green was. She had never seen green before, not like the green on that Cybertronian that had been carrying the tiny organic. It seemed to move with the wind, and her sensors picked up traces of strange scents that smelt both sweet and earthly.

Perhaps one day she could get a closer look at whatever was making those strange smells, but for now she had to concentrate on finding the owner of the energon scent. She soon realised she was getting further and further from the tower, but she didn't let it stop her.

She had been so busy searching that she hadn't noticed the sound of buzzing.

Her proximity sensors blared with warning and she whipped her head over her shoulder, optics widening at the strange things that had been following her for quite some time. Slag, why hadn't she noticed anything until now?

She stopped and turned to hover in front of whatever these strange looking birds were.

The birds seemed to hover like her, but their wings weren't flapping. She thought she spotted two small creatures similar to the organic that had been in the arms of the green Cybertronian, but she shook it off. She threw her head back and roared to them, but it only seemed to fall on deaf audio receptors, puzzling her.

After a few intense seconds, the wings of the birds seemed to change and long tubes appeared beneath them. She blinked quizzically, but the answer to her question immediately dawned upon her. The backs of the tubes turned to fire and they flew toward her.

Screeching, she flapped to try and get out of the tubes' path, but they seemed to follow her wherever she went. She screeched in alarm for her companion, but she suddenly remembered he was not with her.

She was on her own.

One of the tubes impacted her body and the burning of pain coursed through her chassis. She screamed in agony and flapped away, the smoke and flames licking off her frame and slowly burning away at her wing membranes. She flew harder, but the buzzing of the birds told her that they were chasing her. The burning of the fire at her skin only added to her confusion and anger.

No matter how far she flew, they followed her. Another tube slammed into her back, worsening her condition from before. If she was going to go down, she was going to go down fighting like a true Predacon!

She opened her wings and banked to the right, the birds still flying straight where she had been before. Her talons raked sliced against a passing bird and its wing whistled right past her head. The bird's nose tilted downward, smoke billowing from its missing wing, and it plummeted to the ground below. She roared with triumph, but the pelting of bullets on her back caused her to angle out of the way with the second bird zooming straight past her head.

Furious, she gathered the coldness in her chest and shot a stream of ice at the bird, but it was too quick. It missed the target, but she was not fazed by her misjudgement. The bird came around again, supposedly determined to avenge its fallen brother. More bullets stung her skin, but she shook it off and flew straight at it, talons outstretched. She slammed into it with a loud crash and started to tear into its chassis. She threw her head down and took a mouthful of metal, her teeth pulling and a chunk of metal and wire came out with it. Black liquid splattered against her blue chassis, but she ignored it.

She was wining!

She released hold of the bird and it fell just like its comrade. She roared excitedly, allowing the wind to carry it far and wide. The world would know that she had a right to live like every other being!

But her triumph was short-lived.

Something hard slammed against her and the unforgiveable sense of pain washed over her, blinding her to the danger that she was in. She tried to flap her wings, but she realised she couldn't. She was angled down and then pushed to the ground below her. She struggled to escape her holder, but whoever it was that had her was stronger than she. She snaked her head around and bit at whoever had her, but the strength of the unknown did not waver in the slightest. The more she struggled, the faster she seemed to fall.

Then, whatever the thing was that had a hold of her suddenly let go and she impacted the ground. She roared with agony.

Her head lolled to the side, but from the corner of her optics, she saw a large figure step over her. The figure was large, larger than her master, but not as large as her companion. It leaned over her, blue optics seeming to narrow at her. She hissed angrily, but blackness soon enveloped her vision, and she knew no more.

* * *

 **Dun, dun duuuuuuun! Cliffhanger! Mwahahahaha!**


	4. Chained

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:**

 **Chained**

* * *

The darkness vanished from her vision, clearing her thoughts. The first thing she became aware of was that she was lying down on a cold metal floor. But unlike the fortress, it didn't feel like the metal she had grown accustomed to. No, this metal was much different. It looked and smelt different too and it made her olfactory sensors flinch with disgust. It reeked of alien scents, and the offensive smell of exhaust was unmistakeably noticeable. It didn't take her long to realise that she couldn't see the sky that she had flown so freely in. Whatever it was she was inside, it felt like it was a cage when it was quite clear she could see the first signs of daylight.

She tried to lift her head, only to notice that she couldn't. Confused, she lifted her head again, this time with more force, but it didn't budge. She growled in frustration and thumped her tail on the ground, only to find it too was pinned to the ground. She couldn't see what it was that had held down, but from the clanking of metal, it took her less than a few seconds to realise that she was chained.

She was trapped.

Frost snaked from her mouth and she let off a bellow of rage. She could only get her head to go so far, and she was forced to lie it back down, least she further aggravate her injuries from her encounter with the birds and the figure that had attacked her when she had clearly defended herself.

Two pairs of thumping feet diverted her optics and she stilled herself, waiting for whoever was coming. She gathered her talons beneath her as best as she could, but just like her tail and head, they were completely tied to the ground by the chains, so all she could do was wait impatiently for the approaching figures.

Her olfactory sensors picked up the familiar scent of Cybertronian, but they smelt different from her masters. While as her masters smelt of oil and metallic, these ones smelt of earth and sand, as though they had been running for days in the wilderness. She twisted her optics into a frown, but it soon became obvious that one of the scents was familiar. She tried to remember where she had smelt it before, but it refused to come to her.

A pair of shadows blocked out the sunlight that entered her containment. One appeared to be much taller than the other and was coloured a deep red, silver, and dark blue. The smaller one seemed to be of the reverse side of colours. He was completely dark blue with shades of red and silver. While the larger one was bulkier than the smaller one, his pale blue optics bore down deep into her spark… She didn't like that. The smaller one's facial expression only added more fuel to her anger at being chained.

"This is the Predacon you managed to capture?" the small one asked the large mech.

The large mech nodded. "I managed to capture it just shortly before I arrived to assist with the assault on Darkmount," he replied. "But I had to leave it for a short time. When I found it, it had destroyed the two planes, but the humans survived, if a bit shaken from their ordeal."

The small mech peered down at her and she growled deeply, baring her fangs and allowing the frost to pour from her maw.

"I recognise it," he said softly. "This was the one that had managed to scratch up my ship. We wouldn't have escaped if I hadn't driven the ship into a mountain."

So this was the mech who had been driving the strange bird she had climbed on? She hissed louder. She would not forgive him for giving her the injuries on her back! She opened her mouth as wide as she could, breathed deeply, and blasted a ball of ice at their feet. They jumped back with surprise, their bodies tense in preparation for a fight. She let off a snarl and thrashed her bladed tail.

"It would see it does not appreciate you," the large mech said stoically.

"If I was the Predacon, I wouldn't forgive you either."

Both large mechs turned and she focused her optics behind them. It was another mech, but it looked much different from the other two. This one was of red and white colours and it was stockier and shorter than them. The mech stepped passed the other two and kneeled beside her head. She snarled and tried to raise her head to bite him for coming too close, but once again, she couldn't turn her head.

"Ratchet," the large mech said, peering down at them.

"These injuries on her back platting were not inflicted by the missiles," the one called Ratchet said and he pressed a servo to them. She hissed with pain and snapped her jaws, letting frost build up in her mouth in warning.

"My ship did that, Ratchet, I know," the small mech huffed.

"Yes, but it seems like they only worsened long before she encountered the planes," Ratchet replied. His optics narrowed slightly. "I don't think Megatron was too impressed with their failure to capture you."

"What do you propose that we do with it, Prime?" the small mech asked.

The large mech continued to look down at her, so she turned her head as far it could go to avoid staring at him. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"For now," he said, "we'll keep it contained. It's too dangerous to let it roam around. I highly doubt Megatron will even come looking for it."

"Maybe not," the small mech agreed, "but that other Predacon might if it decides to come back from its trip to the Artic."

Her audio receptors perked at the mention of her male companion. What had these Cybertronians done to him? Why was he in the Artic? Why hadn't he come looking for her? Was he alright? A soft thrum escaped her vocal processor and she whimpered with distress. She prayed to whatever deity existed that her friend was safe. If he was, perhaps he might come looking for her and tear up whatever place she was locked inside.

"I advise that you let me study it, Optimus," Ratchet said suddenly. "I'd like to learn more about this creature."

The large mech he called Optimus frowned slightly.

Wait, study her? What did that mean?

She stubbornly pulled at the chains again, struggling to break free from her prison. As long as her spark still pulsed she would never be a captive of these two-legged creatures. All three turned their heads to watch her struggle in vain.

"Very well then, Ratchet," Optimus finally agreed. "But do be careful. I don't know what will happen should this creature harm you."

"You're letting Ratchet study a dangerous creature?!" the small mech demanded angrily.

"Perhaps, Ultra Magnus," Optimus replied casually, "but… maybe…"

Ultra Magnus looked confused by the other's pause and the female Predacon only bristled and lifted her lips in the form of a snarl when he made optic contact with her. He tried to ask why Optimus had paused, but the large mech refused to say anything. Instead, he turned and left with Ultra Magnus following close behind him, but not before he stopped and glanced at Ratchet.

"Ratchet, see if you can patch up its injuries," he said. "From the way she is growling whenever you touch her, I do not believe she is quite comfortable."

Ratchet nodded. "I will see what I can do."

Satisfied, Optimus left the building and the female Predacon shifted to try and get comfortable. Now that the owner of the bird was gone, she could focus on getting better. The presence of the red and white mech caused her to feel confusion. What was he going to do? How was he going to treat her sore back?

"I'll be right back," Ratchet told her. "Don't move."

She stared at him and raised an optic ridge. How could she move when she was chained to the fragging floor?! She hissed after his back, but he seemed to pay no heed to her annoyance. Now that he was gone for the moment, she decided to let her processor wander.

Now that she was captured by the very Cybertronians she had been hunting, she started to realise her predicament. There was no way in the Inferno that they were going to let her go. And even if they did, she would have a hard time trying to find her way back to the tower. Something told her she would not be seeing it ever again. And perhaps even her companion.

She really missed him dearly and she let a low groan of sadness escape her teeth.

Why had her master and Creator sent her away? Did they think of her as weak? Unacceptable? Not worth their own time? Didn't the Creator wonder what had happened to her? Was he going to send help? Where was the help? Why hadn't they come for her?

A small trickle of water leaked from her optics, falling until it dripped into a puddle. She was pathetic, a weak excuse for a creation. She tried to turn her head, only to once again forget that she couldn't move at all, and it only added to her distress at being locked up and far away from home.

She hadn't noticed time had passed until Ratchet returned with a box in his servo. He kneeled beside her, placing the box down and started to search it for the right tools that he needed to tend to her injuries. She jolted back into reality when he started dabbing the caked energon on her back and she snapped her jaws furiously, trying to get at him and break his arm off, but her head was held down.

"Dude, that's a dragon? Awesome!"

She blinked in alarm and Ratchet whirled around.

There, standing in the door way was the same organic she had seen before in the arms of the green mech she had almost killed.

* * *

 **Well then, look who finally meets face to face. How will the Predacon's first meeting with a human go? Will it end badly? Or… hmmm… guess you'll find out in the next chapter! Mwahahahaha!**

 **Again, I'm sorry for the shortness of the chapters. I promise they'll start getting longer.**


	5. Start of a Beautiful Friendship

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

 **Starting A Beautiful Friendship**

* * *

"Miko, what are you doing here?" Ratchet demanded coldly while standing up. "This place is restricted as long as this Predacon remains here!"

The small organic flinched at the tone that the medic was using and the female Predacon realised that it was a female. How she actually knew she had no idea. The creature was so tiny compared to Ratchet, let alone herself. She started to question why she had even attacked the Cybertronians in the first place, but she remembered she had been following strict orders from the masters. Nothing more.

"Sorry, Doc," the creature replied in the same language as Ratchet. "I just wanted to see it for myself."

Ratchet shot a glare at her but then lowered his stance slightly. "Fine," he huffed, "you can look. But don't tell Ultra Magnus!" He lifted a digit and waved it at her. "My advice is that you stay clear from its jaws. It tried to bite Magnus' arm off."

"Considering he was the one who drove his ship into it, I can understand why," Miko replied as she came a little closer, but she remained a respectable distance from the Predacon's head. The female Predacon watched the creature closely. Now that she had a better look of it, she had never known just how small she was compared to Ratchet.

She was probably no larger than the longest of her talons. A twinge of guilt pulsed in her spark as it dawned that she had almost killed such a small creature.

She hadn't realised the little creature called Miko had gotten a little closer, but the wash of pain on her back drew her focus away and she growled a warning at the medic, the message in her voice quite noticeable: _gentle you slaghead!_

Unfortunately, Ratchet didn't seem to notice that he was touching a sensitive spot and he kept working. It wasn't long through the wincing, the growling and the huffing on both sides that Ratchet applied the finishing touches by placing metal plates on her back between her wings.

"That should do it," he muttered to himself. "The metal bandages will fall off when your injury is healed. My advice to you is that you don't move, least you reopen the wound. Not like you can anyway."

She snorted smoke from her nostrils in response.

Ratchet stood up and picked up his toolbox, satisfied with his work and then made his way out of the building. She had half expected Miko to follow him, but to her surprise, she stayed put. She twisted her brow into a deep frown, puzzled by this creature's persistence to get a better look.

Miko took a seat on a box nearby, her amber eyes watching the Predacon with interest. The Predacon shifted uncomfortably and tried to look away, but her head remained chained to the floor and she let off a grunt of frustration at her predicament. The chains were preventing her from moving or even getting comfortable. It would seem she was going to be stuck like this for some time.

"Hey, uh…"

Her audio receptors pricked at the voice and she refocused her optics back onto Miko. She watched her intensely, waiting for whatever it was that she had to spit out of her mouth.

"Um, can you speak?" Miko asked.

She quirked a brow and just stared at her like as if she was an idiot. Really? Did she think that she could talk like they can? She just growled her response and Miko flinched at the tone.

"Okay, I'll take that as a no," she laughed nervously.

What did she find in her words that was funny? The Predacon didn't see what the joke was nor did she find the humour in the fact that she couldn't talk. Miko suddenly pointed to herself. "I'm Miko, uh, we kind of got off on the wrong foot when you and your… friend attacked us. But don't worry!" she raised her hands in defence when the Predacon started to growl. "I'm not holding it against you!"

She snarled and the plates on her neck bristled. Her tail slammed onto the ground, leaving an indention in it from the impact. Was she trying to make her feel better? If she was, she was doing a miserable job at it! She had been captured by these Cybertronians and her companion was trapped in an icy tomb, possibly even dead, and Miko expected her to not hold a grudge?! What kind of a fool did she take her for?!

The human yelped and jumped to her feet at the sudden movement as the Predacon lunged forward as far as the chains would let her and snapped her jaws furiously.

"Hey, I didn't mean to…"

"HURRRROOOAAAR!"

The sound of the Predacon's explosion of rage caused Miko to turn and flee for her life, leaving the female alone in the silence of her anger. She threw her muzzle on the floor and whipped her head, her teeth seizing on the chains that held her front legs down. She bit, she gnawed, she tugged, and she wriggled, but the chain just wouldn't break. All it did was add even more fuel to the burning fury in her chest panels.

She bellowed again and pulled at her chains with all her strength. She fought, she thrashed, she kicked, and she flapped. She didn't know how long she kept it up, but eventually she was sapped of her proud strength and she collapsed in a broken and exhausted heap, defeated.

She would never be free to fly the skies that was her home… she would never know of the fate of her companion…

She was trapped, bound to the ground that was not her ally, and she was alone. She didn't want to be alone, and the fear of the unknown started to creep up on her. She shivered and she closed her optics, willing the darkness to just end it all, to end her suffering. But no matter how long she kept her view in the dark, she knew that she would still be chained, still imprisoned, still trapped… still alone.

She lifted her head as high as the chains would let her and crooned in distress. She didn't care if anyone heard her, she didn't even care if she was beaten for making so much noise. Distressed and beaten, she let water fall and she wished that she couldn't do it…

"Huh… I didn't know Predacons could cry."

She jumped, startled by the sound of the new voice. She blinked, widening her eyes when her optics rested on the opening of her prison. There, standing with half their form showing and blinking with bright blue optics was a blue and yellow Cybertronian. It was smaller than the others she had seen before, and her olfactory sensors told her that it was a male. But to her surprise, Miko was standing behind his leg.

The small Cybertronian left his spot and slowly made his way over to the Predacon. She hissed a little between her teeth but she did nothing else. What else could she do in this Primus forsaken situation anyway? She noticed Miko following behind him but keeping her distance, probably because she was afraid that the Predacon was going to snap at her again.

"So, Miko told me that you were upset," the Autobot said, kneeling beside her head.

The Predacon remained quiet, not even bothering to lift her lips in retort.

He tilted his head to one side, puzzled. Miko tapped him on the leg and he looked down at her. She pointed to the chains around the Predacon's horns. "Maybe those are bothering her, Smokescreen," she said. So, the Autobot's name was Smokescreen.

"But you heard what Optimus said, Miko," Smokescreen replied. "He said the Predacon was too dangerous to be removed from the chains."

"We're not setting her free, Smoke! Geezus. She just looks uncomfortable."

Smokescreen frowned a little and then looked back at the Predacon's miserable expression. Why would he even care about removing her chains? Even if he did, she'd still be trapped, miserable and alone. The Autobots didn't care… the silver master didn't care, her creator didn't care… Primus, she doubted even her fellow Predacon cared anymore either. Even if he somehow broke free from his icy prison and came to look for her, it would take him a long time to even find her. Why even bother?

A pair of hands brushed against her horns and something heavy fell to the floor with a clank. She blinked with surprise, optics wide. She lifted her head slowly and every cable in her body loosened for the first time since she had arrived at the Autobot base. She stared at Smokescreen, confusion welling up in her spark.

Why had he done that? She didn't deserve his kindness…

"There, now you can move your head a lot easier," Smokescreen said cheerfully. "I probably should put something on your mouth in case you bite someone or freeze someone to death, but… I think you might hate me for that. I won't remove your other ones though. Optimus might get mad at me, unlike Magnus… he'll chuck a hissy fit at me for that one and lock me up in the brig."

Onyx… this Autobot talked a lot and already her audio receptors were starting to hurt.

"Anyway, we should go now, Miko," Smokescreen spoke again, catching her attention.

Suddenly, her tank rumbled and she growled in embarrassment.

"Oh, you're hungry!" the young Autobot yelped. "Don't worry, I'll get you some energon." He turned to Miko. "Stay with her, but don't annoy her again. I'll be right back with a cube."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Miko sighed.

Smokescreen stood up and bolted out of the building, leaving Miko alone with the Predacon. She turned around and sat on a nearby box, looking uncomfortable as she shifted to get into a position that would not hurt her backside. The female Predacon stared at her for a moment, but then she mentally shrugged her shoulders and rested her head on the cold concrete floor. She closed her eyes for a moment, only for the silence to be interrupted.

"Hey, um… sorry for making you mad back there," Miko said nervously. "I guess you miss your friend, don't you?"

She lifted her head and stared at the little human curiously. She asked a question, obviously, she might as well answer her as best as she could. She nodded her broad head and then rested it back down.

"Wait, you can understand me?" Miko squeaked.

She nodded once more.

"Oh, this is so cool!"

The Predacon vented through her nostrils, mist escaping from the vents on her neck. It was going to be a long evening. She didn't have to think of listening to the human for much longer when Smokescreen returned with two cubes of glowing blue energon, the scent of the liquid filled her olfactory sensors and her mouth started to drip in hunger. Smokescreen placed a cube in front of her and she immediately drove her nose into it, her breath sucking in the cool fluids into her throat and into her tank. She hadn't tasted the stuff since she had first awoken and boy… did it taste so good.

She finished the cube in just ten seconds and then looked up at Smokescreen, her expression obvious: _'May I have another?'_

Smokescreen guessed what she wanted and placed the last one before her. She dug into it and finished it quickly. It felt good to have something to energize and freshen her spark after her miserable capture. Despite still being bound to the ground, maybe it wasn't so bad to be amongst kind Autobots like these guys.

"Okay, we should go back, Miko," Smokescreen told the little human when he noticed her yawning. "We need to let the Predacon rest as well after all that excitement."

"Yeah… you're probably right, Smoke," Miko replied. She hopped into Smokescreen's hand and the Autobot stood up to leave. But just before he left to switch off the light, he turned back and waved at the Predacon.

"Rest well," he told her.

She nodded once more to confirm she had heard him and he switched the light off, leaving her in blissful darkness. Once he was gone, she lowered her head back to the floor, her frame relaxing her taunt muscle cables and she drifted off into a deep recharge.

* * *

 **Hi guys, it's been a while and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year. 2016 has not been a great year for most people and it has certainly left some holes in our lives. We've lost good people, politics still prove to be a bitch and to be honest, I'm tired of it.**

 **Hopefully 2017 proves to be a better year, but I have my doubts… Here's hoping I make some more updates to my other stories, but this is better than nothing. Take care guys!**


	6. You Cannot Tame the Beast

**WARNING: This message contains a rant from an anonymous review that got deleted because that person was a pansy and too lazy to give a valid reason for up and leaving.**

 **You know what amuses me? People who simply leave an anonymous message with one simple word: "goodbye". It's like as if they have nothing better to do with their lives and think it's funny to tell the author that they're done without even bothering to explain why. You call yourselves readers? You call THAT a review? Well then… no need to worry about filling my story with silly reviews that has absolutely nothing to do with the story, it's deleted anyway.**

 ***sarcastic slow clapping***

 **Here's a message to the other anonymous review that I can't PM to because you're not logged in: There is no way in hell that I am making Smokescreen ride this Predacon. What makes you think I'm going to parody it with HTTYD? While riding the back of a dragon is cool and all, Smokescreen isn't here to do that. He and Miko are here to be friends with the Predacon, try to convince her to come onto their side, fight for the good against HER creator and her companion.**

 **Oh and… just to make this perfectly clear to that review as well… this Predacon is NOT going to play babysitter to humans. She doesn't give a damn about the human race. The only one she'll care about is Miko, and possibly Smokescreen, who's only there to annoy her with his yammering, because that's funny.**

 **She's going to hate going up against what she was told all those years in the test tube, she's not going to be all "oh, I'm on your side now, you can ride my back now! Come on, it will be cool!"**

 **Forget that. I don't even read the HTTYD books, I don't even watch the show, but I watch the movies and that's it.**

 **So, I apologise to my outburst because responding to reviews where there is no name to respond to makes it difficult. If you can log in and save me the trouble of having to write a message at the start of a chapter JUST before people start to read it… you're not making it any easier for myself or them.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, the rest of you may continue.**

* * *

 **Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

 **You Cannot Tame the Beast**

* * *

The Predacon awoke to the sound of strange noises, noises that she hadn't heard before. She switched her optics online and found the light of the day sneaking through the window. She blinked and lifted her head, eyeing the bright blue sky with golden sunshine piercing through and leaving patches of light on the floor. Her audio receptors once again picked up the strange sound and she filtered her optical sensors to get a better look. To her surprise, she saw strange little creatures flying about in the sky. They were making strange noises unlike anything she had heard before, but the fact that they were flying distracted her from the sound.

They reminded her once again that she was chained to the floor, unable to fly.

She lowered her head a little, looking dejected by her situation. She flicked her tail a little and it twitched by her conscience. Of course, she had forgotten that her tail was also held down. It was useless to think that she would ever be free from her predicament. She paused as her processor drifted over to Smokescreen and Miko.

Those two strangers had been kind enough to give her energon last night, as well as striking up a conversation. While it was difficult for her to make words with her lips like they could, she could try doing it herself. How else was she going to communicate her annoyance to the other Autobots that she wanted to be set free to return to her master and creator? It wasn't like she cared about them anyway, their fight was not her problem at all.

A small hum caused her horns to twitch and she turned her head toward the opening. Much to her surprise, it was Smokescreen who came wheeling in. His side door opened and Miko leapt out, eyes wide with excitement. _Oh great,_ she thought bitterly, _more of this torture._

"Hey, you're awake," Smokescreen said eagerly as he came over, but he stopped a short distance from her when she curled her top lip at him. He raised his hands in defence. "Okay, okay, I'll keep my distance if you don't like it."

 _That's better,_ she mentally smirked.

"You know what you could use," Miko said happily. "You look like you could use some breakfast."

Her audio receptors pricked at the mention of breakfast.

Smokescreen dug into his subspace pocket and slid a cube of energon in front of her. "I managed to sneak one out of the storage, but I think Magnus is starting to get suspicious." He shrugged. "Not like I care anyway, but really, Miko, we shouldn't be doing this. She is a Predacon after all."

"Come on, Smoke," Miko protested, fiddling with the strange tuff of fur on her head. "She looks like she hasn't eaten in days. No one seemed really keen in giving her anything anyway."

"Who can say that I blame them?" Smokescreen sighed. "She looks keen enough to eat me."

 _Far too tempting,_ the Predacon thought a little gleefully. By the Creator, she hoped that she would eventually get a chance to chow down on some metal, but she supposed that a single cube of energon was enough. Not that she was complaining or anything, it wasn't like as if she was going to go anywhere any time soon.

She nudged the cube's lid open and stuck her nose in it, slurping the sweet contents between her teeth. Once she had finished, she let off a slight bulge. Smokescreen and Miko stared at each other with surprised expressions, but then Miko's face changed from horrified to puffing up completely until she started making noises that the Predacon had never heard before. Smokescreen started making the exact same sounds as well and it only added to her confusion. Why were they making those noises? Were they broken?

"Sorry," Miko sighed once she had regained her breath and wiped water from her eyes. "That was so unexpected, but it was really funny!"

"I've never heard a Predacon burp before," Smokescreen said. "We don't even have lungs!"

"Dude, how do you guys even breathe anyway?"

"Um, we don't breathe," Smokescreen explained.

"Then why does your chest rise and fall like that?"

"You consider that breathing? Nah, it's actually how we pump energon into our bodies, same way you humans get your heart to pump blood through your vessels."

Well, she never knew any of that stuff, that certainly surprised her a little. She didn't even know she wasn't breathing at all, but still, a new lesson added to her growing collection of knowledge. She frowned at the thought and looked down at her talons, thinking.

Funny… it was strange to think she was learning new things from these two legged creatures, Cybertronian and human. Surprisingly, these two didn't seem all that bad to her, but… something told her that she had to be careful where she walked. She hadn't liked the way the blue mech had been staring at her during his discussion with Optimus. What was his name? Ultra Magnus? Yes, that must be it.

She let out a soft vent, a huff of cold mist escaping her nostrils. She wished that she could somehow spread her wings and give them a good stretch, but from her difficult position, she doubted that she was ever going to get that freedom.

"Hey, don't look sad, Miss Predacon," Miko suddenly perked up when she saw the Predacon's expression. "I'm sure Optimus will be glad to let you run loose once you've proven that you're not going to hurt us."

"I… how does that expression go? Um, I hate to burst your bubble, Miko, but I don't think Optimus is going to let that happen any time soon," Smokescreen pointed out. "She was with the other Predacon that almost killed Bulkhead and Wheeljack, as well as yourself."

Miko shrugged as the Predacon continued to stare at her, dumbfounded, but she mentally shrugged it off. The more she paid attention to these fascinating creatures, the more she felt her spark become tugged in a strange direction. How strange would it be if she started to care? Pft, she really didn't give a damn about these smaller, weaker creatures. Why bother to start anyway? Of course, they did bring her energon to keep her sustained, but she doubted their kindness would last much longer.

Then, Smokescreen's wings stood erect and his expression changed from bubbly to nervous. He started to look around as though he was trying to work something out that baffled the Predacon's processor. What reason did he have to be scared about? That was when her olfactory sensors immediately picked up the scent of the one person that none of them wanted to run into.

"Slag, Optimus and Magnus are coming," Smokescreen announced.

"What…"

Before Miko could even finish her question, the young Cybertronian quickly snatched her in his servos and dashed outside, leaving the Predacon alone once more. Confusion swept through her, but she didn't have time to ponder their absence just as Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus rounded the corner and stepped inside the building. She hissed softly when she saw Ultra Magnus, her optics staring coldly at him as frost caked her maw in preparation to breathe her ice breath.

The two Autobots stood before her, looking down with serious expressions on their face plates. Why must all leaders look like they've got something stuck up their tailpipe? She resisted the urge to snicker at the image of Ultra Magnus having a dead turbofox stuck up his backside. It amused her to no end.

"Prime, are you certain of this?" Ultra Magnus questioned, his optics shifting over to the larger mech.

Optimus continued to stare seriously at the female Predacon, not answering. Whatever he was about to decide for her, she was certain that it had to be serious enough to decide her fate. The thought almost cast a fire in her systems, but all it did was cause more frost to build up and then instantaneously melt away due to the heat in her chest.

"I wish to know of your intentions, Predacon," he rumbled. "Where do your loyalties lie?"

She curled her lips in response, emitting a deep growl from her vocal processor. She opened her mouth and two pairs of sharp fangs extended, glistening with mist. Did he really think that she was going to join his side? Hah, it made her sick to her core. She extended a forepaw and scratched an image into the cement.

Both Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus looked down at the picture, flabbergasted. The image showed a crude drawing of a pair of dragons flying in the sky, fire spitting from the leader and ice shooting downward from the second.

"Seems like she only follows the other Predacon," Ultra Magnus said with a deep frown.

"That would be highly likely," Optimus mused and his optics returned to the Predacon. "And if we released you now?"

She snorted again and drew another sketch in the ground, slightly better, but still crude. Optimus' expression was completely stoic, as though he was hiding every ounce of feeling from the world. This time, the image showed the two Predacons again, this time it was the female heading towards the male, who was standing on the cliff, looking up at her with relief.

"You would go and find him?" Optimus asked.

She nodded.

"Is he related to you?"

She shook her head in response.

"Prime, if she was released and the two reunited…"

"Then they could breed and create a whole army of Predacons under Megatron's control," Optimus finished and his expression changed to a deep frown. He then stared at her and her spark instantly fell when she came to the conclusion on what he was going to decide. No! No, Onyx, no! She emitted a roar of fury and leapt toward him, claws extended on the desire to kill. But in the heat of the moment, she forgot that she was still chained and she collapsed on the ground. She roared in frustration, followed by a scream as she began to build up the power inside her.

It was over before she could even try. A force unlike anything she had felt before collided with her chest and she screamed with agony, her legs gave away and she collapsed in pain. It took less than a moment for her to register what had happened. Despite not being internally damaged, the dented metal in her chest told her exactly what she feared. The force of the impact had completely snuffed out her ice breath weapon. She groaned pitifully.

When she opened her optics without the desire to flinch, all she saw was Ultra Magnus holding a large hammer in both his hands, while Optimus Prime stood impassively at his side, servos balled into fists.

"Ultra Magnus," he said softly, "let Ratchet know he's to prepare a sedative for the Predacon."

"Sir?" Ultra Magnus asked. "A sedative for what?"

"To put the Predacon down," Optimus replied and he turned and left without a backward glance.


	7. Breaking Free

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

 **Breaking Free**

* * *

It had been unfortunate for the gigantic male Predacon when he had been far too focused on his intended target. The foolishness of his focus had cost him dearly when he'd found himself trapped and frozen in a terrible snowstorm that had rendered him helpless. Until the storm had passed, he was a statue, conscious but unable to move nor scream for help. If there was one thing he was frustrated about, it was that he could not scratch a developing itch on his hide. But, if he had to say something about his predicament, he would be more than happy to burn down the very one who had put him in this situation in the first place.

If he hadn't been so bent on destroying the flying vehicle, he wouldn't have been sent through wormhole and in a whole new environment. Despite having his fire frozen, he knew that it could not keep him contained forever. As annoying as the storm was, and its setbacks, it did not mean that he was doomed to stay like this. Like a fire that eventually burnt out when it ran out of trees or the rains came to extinguish it, the blizzard would eventually clear and he would be free. When that time came, there would be energon upon his talons.

And then, his sensors registered what he had been desiring since the sudden change: the rise in temperature. The snowstorm was residing, passing by, but quite slowly. But it was all he needed to will his body to come out of its forced hibernation. He twitched his talons, trying to flex them, but it wasn't enough. He had to take the opportunity to raise his internal fire.

At first it was a slow burn, but ever so gently, the fire in his system began to ignite again. He could feel the warmth gradually growing and the glow from his chest plates swelled. He twitched his talons, feeling the power of the fire warming the ice that encased him. The ice began to crack and fall to pieces.

With an enormous surge of power, he threw himself backwards on his hind legs and flapped his wings, screeching with ferocity and power as his prison fell away. He was finally free at last! He returned to his four legs and shook his shoulders, removing the last of the ice from his limbs and scattering icicles from his crowned horns. He turned his head in a supposedly general direction, sensing where he needed to go. He had to get back to the Creator and the Master. Surely they would have been wondering where he was.

He spread his wings and pushed them down once, lifting himself off his perch and dove downward. He was still relatively cold, but he had enough strength left to get airborne again and head straight to where he needed to go. If there was one thing he wanted to know more than anything else in the world, it was whether _she_ had returned from the hunt their Master had sent her off to accomplish.

The last thing he recalled was her scent touching his olfactory sensors and her forehead pressed under his neck before she had disappeared. He hoped with every fibre of his being that she was safe and sound.

A wind current caught itself beneath his wings and he straightened them out, sensing that it would be strong enough to let him ride it until it ended. The wind was going the exact same direction as he was, and he needed to recover his strength after having used most of it breaking out from the ice and taking off all at once. Plus, it gave him a chance to catch a breath and think for a moment.

What had become of the female since he'd last seen her? How long had it been since he had been frozen in the cold and terrible place? He had to assume that it had not been very long, possibly a few solar cycles at best. There hadn't been a single sign of the sun until the blizzard had ceased, but he was certain it was quite a while. He had to make haste in the hopes that she had returned from her mission. Maybe she was waiting for him back on the floating island?

With that feeling of hope set in his processor, he surged his wings forward and flew even faster than he had dared to dream.

He didn't know how long it took him to reach his destination, but eventually, his keen sensors managed to pick up the trail of the floating fortress long before he even sighted it. It loomed above him in the clouds like a ghostly phantom out of darkness, and it sent chills to his very core the closer he approached it. What had happened to their previous home? Why did he choose to come here instead?

Fuelled once again by the hope of seeing the female again, he willed himself onward until he glided calmly onto the roof. He landed gracefully, folding his wings beneath his plated hide. He glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of his companion, but his superior olfactory sensors caught no sign of her scent. It was cold, colder than he liked and he found himself grow increasingly worried. Perhaps she was off hunting to pass the time? Maybe that was it. She had to be back soon.

Giving a huff of affirmation, smoke escaping from his maw, he unleashed a bellowing roar that seemed to shake the floor beneath him, announcing his return home.

Silence.

A deep growl vibrated in his chest plates. He was getting impatient.

He tried again, this time louder and shriller than before.

Once again, he was met with grim silence and it only added to his growing agitation. Were the walls of the floating fortress thicker than he thought? Should he try using his inner fire to burn down the walls? He didn't want to risk the wrath of his Master, nor be indulged to the probing questions of the Creator. But if he had to get their attention, to let them know of his returning presence, then he was willing to try.

He prepared to unleash the powerful fire inside his chest, the warm glow growing with intense power in preparation to burn.

Suddenly, the wall split apart and he swallowed back the fire, willing it to cool down.

Standing before him was the Master, the Creator and the grey-winged one with the high pitched voice. He stood stock still as they came out to welcome his presence. Good, maybe he could finally get some answers and… perhaps know the fate of the female.

He approached them warily, his optics locked on all three at once, and a sot growl emitted from his vocal processors. Would they understand his lingering desire to question her whereabouts?

"Seems like his homing instincts managed to return him to us," the Creator explained as he came forward, pressing a server to the side of his jaw. The male Predacon purred in pleasure, closing his optics, but he listened intently.

"Once again, your scientific expertise exceeds," Master agreed, nodding approvingly.

The Grey-Winged One inched forward cautiously, his wings twitching, and the male's olfactory sensors instantly detected his fear scent. He was afraid of him? If he recalled correctly, he was supposed to oversee his… training. Well, he certainly was not going to give him satisfaction.

"Does he know?" Master asked the Creator.

He pretended not to listen as he stared at the Grey-Winged One, giving him the idea that he was right to fear him. The other mech brought out a sparking prod and waved it in his face to make him back down and behave. He snorted smoke and did so, but only for now. He would have his fun with the flyer later.

"Of the female's whereabouts?" the Creator questioned, shaking his head. "No, I logically believe he does not."

Wait, what?

He turned his head to them, his amber optics boring into their blood red ones. He tried to communicate to them his questions, but all he got was blank stares, along with a stern glare from the Master. He stepped back and lowered his form to the ground submissively. What had happened to her? Where was she?

"It doesn't matter, Shockwave," the Master hissed disapprovingly. "It means that her failure will be written down in Decepticon history as permanently offline. She was weak the moment she stepped out of the chamber. Her first failure to destroy the Autobots only added to her downfall." He turned to the Grey-Winged One. "Starscream!"

Offline?

The smaller mech scurried over, wringing his clawed servos together, his voice betraying his fear, "Y-yes, Master?"

But the male Predacon stopped listening the moment those words hit his audio receptors. He no longer had the strength to stand on his four feet, and he swayed as though a tiny breeze had knocked him over. He collapsed on the ground, and he felt everything inside become as empty as the night sky itself. No longer did he have a companion to keep him company, no more did he have someone who could understand him.

He was not a companion, he was not a King of anything!

He was alone! Alone!

He lifted his crowned head to the sky and bellowed mournfully to the heavens above, the echo around him only added to his grieving spark.

* * *

 **And here we are again after a long while.**

 **I feel I owe you guys some explanation.**

 **I'm honestly so terribly sorry if this is so short, but I have a lot of my mind and so much stress going through my life. Please understand that my lack of writing is not even due to a writer's block this time. My personal life is a struggle that needs to be dealt with.**

 **This chapter was half finished when shit went down the drain. Now that I've had a moment of respite, it gave me some strength to try and finish what I started. I cannot promise if I'll update again but know that I have not given up on my stories.**

 **This will be finished!**


	8. Vengeance of the Dragon

**Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:**

 **Vengeance of the Dragon**

* * *

Her optics widened in horror and she lifted her head, startled. She glanced around the room, looking for any sign of what she had just dreamed about. There was nothing, and the quickening pulsing of her spark indicated that her dream had well and truly frightened her. The last thing she had seen and heard was her Predacon friend throwing his head back and calling out in distress. But was it even real? Had it just been a regular nightmare and not a premonition? She shook her head, her sharp teeth chewing on her bottom jaw to try and quench her uncertainty. She hoped to Onyx that what she had dreamt of had not been real at all and it was just her overactive imagination.

Then she recalled what Optimus Prime had planned to do with her, and she found herself growling deeply in her throat. She wasn't sure when he was planning to have Ratchet put her out of her misery, but when they came… she was really hoping that she would at least give them something to remember. She found herself grinning mischievously at the thought and she subconsciously purred with pleasure deep in her vocal processor. Honestly, when had she ever had the chance to have fun? In fact, all she ever recalled was just hunting and trying to kill one of the Autobots alongside her companion. Was hunting even considered fun?

She snorted, allowing a puff of mist escape her nostrils, and she dug her claws in the metal floor. She blinked when something caught her attention and she looked down, now realising the scratched images and writing she had made when Optimus and Ultra Magnus had came to see her. The image of herself and the male Predacon flying together across the fly caused her spark to clench. Not a solar cycle had gone by when she missed him. More than anything in the universe, she wanted to see him again… just one last time.

She growled and looked away from her scratched image, not wanting to be reminded of what she was about to lose. She had been so preoccupied with her misery that she didn't see a familiar flash of purple, pink, and black until a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Hey!"

She shook her head and looked down, seeing Miko looking up at her with her hands on her hips. What did she want?

"Look," Miko insisted before the Predacon could utter a growl of warning, "I overheard Magnus and Optimus talking. They… they said they were getting Ratchet to make a serum that would…" She looked down at the floor, holding one of her arms. Strange sounds started to come from her lips and nose. Why was she making that sound? Was she sick?

The Predacon lowered her head until it was level with the human, blowing cool air on her face. Miko's hands reached out to touch her snout, surprising her. She half-expected the little organic to be weird and slimy, but she found herself drawn to the warmth of her smooth skin. The warmth was much different compared to her companion's inner fire, she could even sense the pulse of Miko's organic spark pumping her energon through her body, slow and steady.

"Rrrrrrr," she hummed softly.

"Wait, what did you say?" Miko asked, her hands removing themselves from the Predacon's nose.

The Predacon repeated the sound, not understanding what she was trying to hint at. She soon realised that her vocal processor was trying to do something, so she tried the sound again, only this time she made a different sound. "Mmmmm."

Miko leaned in closer, trying to make out what she was saying.

"Mmmmmm-iiiiiiiiii-k-ooooooooo."

Her eyes widened and she stepped back. Quickly she glanced around, hoping that no one was in listening range. Once she was certain the coast was clear, she repeated her question. The Predacon kept making the same sound until it dawned on Miko what she was trying to do.

"Holy cow, you're trying to talk!"

The Predacon blinked, confused. Was that what the organics and Cybertronians called it with what they were doing with their mouths? Talking? She knew she didn't exactly have the right components to even form words, let alone make them sound correct, but she was certain she was trying. After spending days, perhaps weeks, with the Autobots and around Miko and Smokescreen, she really had nothing else better to do.

"Try again," Miko pressed. "Only this time, try to say it a little faster as they come to you."

She tilted her head slightly, trying to make out the word she was attempting to say. It came slowly at first, but after a few minutes of trying, the syllables began to take shape in her vocal processor. "Miko!" she suddenly exclaimed, shocking the human. "Miko!" she shouted again.

"Yes!" Miko cried, jumping with glee. "You were trying to say my name! That's my name!"

She finally understood now! She had been trying to say the human's name, and the words were beginning to make sense. However she tapped her claws impatiently on the floor and pointed at Miko. "Miko," she drawled, the nod confirming that it was indeed her name. She then pointed at herself, shaking her head. She didn't exactly know the right word for what she wanted.

"Oh! You want a name?" Miko asked.

She nodded, playing with the word. "Nnnnnnn-aaaaaaaaa-mmmmm."

"Name," Miko repeated. "You want a name."

"Naaaaaaammmmm," she tried, only for Miko to giggle.

"Must not be easy with that mouth of yours," she said, and the Predacon nodded, growling in frustration. "Don't worry, we'll work on that. In the meantime, I'll come up with a name for you!" She reached behind her back and pulled out a strange looking object with white background and a tiny looking scribbler. "This is a scrapbook, I like to draw in it. Maybe it can be useful in finding a name for you."

The Predacon shifted her shoulders a little to get more comfortable, only for her sensitive hearing to pick up the heavy footfalls of something coming. Miko jumped to her feet, expecting Ratchet to come around with the serum, only to be proven wrong when it was just Smokescreen.

"Miko, what are you doing here!" Smokescreen cried, jabbing a servo at the Predacon. "Optimus said that no one is allowed in here. She's dangerous!"

The small human female glared venomously at the talkative Autobot. "That wasn't what you said before Optimus told us that he was going to put her down," she hissed. "She probably attacked him because he wasn't going to let her go back to her friend. Wouldn't you attack someone for not letting you get back to your friends or family?"

The young Autobot's doorwings twitched in agitation. His whole posture lingered with concern for Miko's safety, and the Predacon smelt his fear scent as well as detect his desire to listen his leader. She of course understood where he was coming from. He didn't want to get in trouble with his leader for mingling with a dangerous creature, as well as letting Miko get involved too. Bulkhead was really going to kill him when he found out about this mess.

To both of their surprise, his posture suddenly changed and his doorwings drooped dejectedly. "No, you're right, I'd react the same way if I was a prisoner again and wasn't allowed to be let go to get back to my friends." He vented softly. "But, Miko, really… why are you so eager to get to know her?"

"Because she's a dragon!" Miko shouted, stamping a foot on the floor. "It's not often I get to see one, let alone meet one!"

The Predacon lifted an optic ridge, bemused.

"And she's really smart too," Miko continued. "She doesn't just know how to draw" -she pointed at the scratched images on the floor in front of the Predacon- "she's trying to learn how to talk!"

Smokescreen frowned, and she knew he was sceptical by her explanation. "I find that hard to believe. I mean, I really want to, but the stories on Cybertron about Predacons talking, letting alone being smart and transforming… there isn't much at all."

"Didn't Optimus say that they bit the dust like our dinosaurs did?" Miko asked.

"Yup, that's pretty much it," Smokescreen replied, nodding. "There wasn't even a trace left."

"Well, this one's smart, and I'm trying to find her a name right before…" Miko stopped before she continued and her nose started to make the strange noises again. The Predacon lowered her head and gently nuzzled her sympathetically.

"Miko," she whispered in her ear, causing the girl to smile a little and she petted her snout. Miko turned back to Smokescreen, only to see the Autobot's optics were as wide as saucers and she burst out laughing.

"Holy slag! So she really can talk!" he cried.

"Told you so!"

The Predacon smirked and tossed her head proudly. She really was getting the hang of using these words in the foreign language of the organics. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to learn more at all.

"So are you going to help me find a name for her before we start giving her lessons?" Miko teased.

"Ugh, fine, you win, Miko, as usual," Smokescreen grumbled and he sat down on the floor with a heavy thud, crossing his legs together and resting his chin on a fist.

"Okay," Miko giggled as the Predacon leaned forward eagerly. "I've already got a list of names based on what you can do and what you are. You can breathe and you're a dragon. So," she scribbled something, "how about Frostbite?"

She made a face and shook her head no. "Nnnnnnnnn…..ooooooooo?"

"No?" Miko drew a line. She showed her scrapbook to Smokescreen. He peered closely at it, using his optics to zoom in closer on the words.

"Snowstorm?" he asked.

"Nnnnnooooooo."

Another line made.

"Iceclaw!"

She shook her head once again, and another line was drawn.

"Subzero?"

The Predacon's frown deepened.

"Bluefire?"

The head was shaken.

"Icebreaker?"

"Stormflight?"

The Predacon lowered her head until her chin was resting on the floor. The more these names went on, the longer she was going to have to endure the boredom of listening to them and never getting the chance with her talking lessons. None of them were interesting, nor did they even install fear into the sparks of her enemies. The names were nice, yes, but not one felt exactly right to her. She began to close her optics, keeping her audio receptors open for the sound of a name that was worthy.

After what felt like hours had transpired with the list seeming to be almost endless, Miko looked down at the last few names that she hoped were really good.

"Soulburner?" she asked.

The Predacon's optics opened for a moment, her curiosity peaked, but she closed them again, the name still wasn't quite there yet.

"Spiritstrike?"

Her head suddenly lifted, her optics blinking with peaked interest. She stretched her neck as far as her chained body would allow her. The name felt strong, and it felt… like she could strike fear into the very souls of her enemies. It certainly had a nice ring to it, and it felt… right. Her lips pulled back as she tried to form the words of the name.

"Spiiiiiiiirrrrrriiiiiitttt," she attempted, "sssssssstrrrrrrrriiiiiike?"

Smokescreen and Miko leaned in closer. "You actually like this one?" she asked.

The Predacon nodded.

Miko slammed the scrapbook shut, her face beaming with happiness. "Then from now on, your name is Spiritstrike!"

The newly named Spiritstrike tilted her head back and allowed the name to roll off her glossa. It truly did feel like it was the perfect name for her. Her enemies didn't need to know her ice breathing abilities, they didn't need to know that she was a Predacon. No, all they needed to know was that fear would strike deeply into them, and they would never even see her coming. She purred with delight, happy that she finally had something to call her own before her passing.

"Let's get into those lessons now of teaching you how to talk and give Ratchet the scare of his life," Smokescreen grinned wickedly.

"Yes, let's!" Miko agreed.

* * *

The dark clouded sky rumbled with the start of a coming storm. Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the passing Decepticon warship as it reached its intended destination, a very tall mountain with the remains of an ancient volcano. Perched on the very end of the ship's wings, the black and orange male Predacon watched the skies above, unafraid. He extended his enormous wings to maintain his balance and his tail hung almost lazily below him.

He lifted his head to the sky as his fierce amber optics flashed along with the lightning. Deep in his vocal processors a soft growl emitted from within, but it was almost pitiful. It had been almost a lunar cycle since the Creator and his Master had reported the death of his beloved companion. Although he had not been presented with her remains, he had been quick to believe that she truly was gone. He had fought claw and fangs with the Autobots since then, the ones who had destroyed her. He'd channelled his anger, allowing it to simmer and burn alongside his inner fire and it made his spark ache with grief.

He missed her dearly but he had been forced to put his grief aside when he had discovered the remains of another Predacon. When he had found it, it had stirred… something in his processor. As the images whipped across his vision, they had felt quite familiar to him, and yet… not quite him. It was as if he had been there in another time and another life, witnessing the death and destruction of his kind.

It was at that point that he remembered _her_ and he flared his mandibles in anger and grief.

The moment he laid optics on those accursed, inferior two-legged Autobots again, he was going to burn them all to complete and total ash and cinders. The very thought of sending them back to depths of where they came from made his vocal processors purr slightly. She would be avenged, and he would live with the fact on the promise of his species being revived.

Lately he had been watching and listening to the two-legged Cybertronians. He had seen them often taking to the skies and shifting into another form, despite the Grey Flier attempting to inflict pain to try and discipline him. His body ached with pain the moment he thought of the Grey Flier's abuse on him. It was through that pain that he managed to take the time to repeat what they were doing and learn more about this… Project Predacon that the Creator was attempting to make.

And now, as he watched the Red Four-Wheeler proceed to make haste down the lift from the belly of the flying castle, he could not help but wonder what else there was to know about the comings of the secret project. Quietly, he watched and waited for the perfect opportunity to make his move. He growled softly, waiting like a patient hunter.

Once the Red Four-Wheeler was out of his sight and sensors, he launched himself from his perch and gracefully glided down to the mountain below him. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating him briefly, and thunder rumbled in the distance, but he ignored it despite the feeling of power burning deeply inside his spark. Surely that this was what it meant to feel like a true hunter, your prey never seeing you coming until it was too late.

 _Very well then, Creator,_ he thought a little bitterly, _show me what you have in mind for our doomed species now that she is… gone._ Once again, the undeniable feeling of grief entered his processor, but he pushed it aside. There would be time to dwell on the past later, his main concern was the secret in the mountain.

He tucked his wings against his sides instead of putting them into subspace and silently perched himself on the edge of the hole where the flying fortress positioned its elevator. He leaned forward and peeked over. He just managed to catch a glimpse of the Red Four-Wheeler heading deeper into the cavern.

He followed, using his wings to make his descent quieter.

He landed with barely a sound emitting from his paws on the ground.

Pleased, he prowled after the smaller mech, keeping his wings fully in subspace in the hopes that it would not betray his presence.

The cavern was dark, much darker than he anticipated, but his superior night vision allowed him to easily navigate his way through, plus the scent of the Red Four-Wheeler was reaching his olfactory sensors strongly. He managed to pick up the sight of light as he drew closer to where the mech was going.

He paused when the mech went inside a large chamber that contained a bright green light.

Was this where the secret was hidden?

This was where his future kind were residing?

The scent of the Red Four-Wheeler was incredibly strong, but he also picked up the scent of the Master, the Creator… and the Grey Flier. The scent of the Grey Flier almost caused him to pull back, but something made him stop. He would not be so easily deterred from what he wanted to find, plus the Grey Flier was just as scared of him, his scent fear was coating his entire chassis. He had nothing to fear.

He stopped when he came into the chamber, shocked and in awe.

Rows and rows of tubes of liquid filled with creatures filled the cavern.

He barely remembered coming out of his own container, alongside the female, but he could still recall how warm and safe he had felt. Nothing but the comforts of the liquid and the voice of the Creator kept him sane.

 _And her._

He shook his head, clearing his processor of the memories.

He stalked forward, tail straight and neck arched with eagerness.

His own kind! He had found them!

But the Grey Flier barged his way, holding a pole in his clawed servos.

"Insolent beast!" he shouted, stopping in front of him.

He stopped and waited for him to come forward. He would show this inferior creature what it meant to take him on.

The Grey Flier raised the pole and struck him on the head, sparks flying. He struck him again when he didn't budge, the loud twang of metal hitting metal continuing to echo in his sensitive audio receptors. This had gone on long enough. He threw his head forward and screeched in his face, mandibles beared, tail swiping back and forth in irritation.

The Grey Flier jumped with surprise and fell back, cowering pathetically.

In the great beast's anger, he stormed forward and stood up on his hind legs, allowing his lessons to come forth. He transformed before the four smaller Cybertronians, but he didn't care that the Master and Creator were watching, all that he cared about was getting his message across: loud and clear.

"Strike me again," he snarled, his voice raw and threatening, "and I'll bury that rod in your spark!"

Immediately the Grey Flier scuttled backward, trembling in terror before the might of the beast's new form. "I… I had no idea that the beast was cable of transformation!"

"Nor did I," Megatron hissed, sending a glare over Shockwave.

"I am no beast!"

With a huff, the male Predacon stepped over the Grey Flier, not caring that he made him flinch to get out of his way. To walk on two pedes like the Cybertronians made things a little awkward for him, but he hid his weakness well, his back hunched over slightly as he headed over to one of the tubes containing a curled up Predacon that had a pair of wings and two legs.

His sensors were a lot different than in his Predacon form, much less acute, but he could still hear Megatron and Shockwave discussing their confusion over his transformation, but he ignored them. He even ignored the sarcastic jab from the Grey Flier, but a soft growl came from deep within his vocal processor.

He would deal with him later.

"So, the rumours were true after all," he said softly, his gaze never leaving the tube. "I… I won't be alone again after…"

He thought he spotted Megatron and Shockwave shooting a glance at each other, but he dismissed it.

Megatron stepped toward him, "Yes, the female Predacon's departure from the land of the living was certainly… a great loss for your species. You and she would have made many more of your kind to save them, but alas…" He paused as though he was thinking his words a little more carefully. "I wish we could have saved her, but we did not reach her in time. In the light of her loss, we built others in order to… replenish."

The male Predacon lowered his head.

"But I see that you've been keeping secrets from me," Megatron sneered, his optics squinting.

The Predacon shook his head, "It was not my intention to deceive you, Lord Megatron. I'd only begun to learn about my abilities by watching your kind do what they do, the ships data banks only told me of the past, so I decided to find my place in the present."

He looked back at the tube, "I would be glad to offer my service of loyalty to you, but only if you promise to bring more of my kind back to life. I will command them, like a king commands his army." He clenched his talons into fists to prove his point. "When the war ends, I will do what is necessary for them."

He thought he saw Megatron look over at Shockwave with a small glint in his optics, but it was gone when he turned back to him. "Very well then," he said, "but surely you must have a name."

"I've been pondering a name ever since I became aware of my capabilities. I will name myself… Predaking, for the future of my species will be ruled by a king under your leadership, Lord Megatron."

The glint was there again, but it was gone in a second.

"We will discuss these conditions back on the warship," Megatron insisted, "come."

A space bridge appeared behind the steel grey mech.

"Shockwave, attend to the Predacon army, Predaking and I have some business to discuss."

Shockwave bowed slightly, while Predaking followed after Megatron with the Grey Flier and the Red Four-Wheeler came as well, but at a distance out of fear. Good, let them feel afraid, but the Grey Flier was the only Decepticon he did not want to learn the name of. The thought of dealing with him would happen, but a hunter had to be patient, he learned that the hard way.

* * *

"And what's this word?" Miko asked Spiritstrike.

The female Predacon looked at the large piece of cardboard that Smokescreen was holding. The process of learning to read and then speak had been a lot harder than she thought, but she enjoyed the thrill of the challenge. Learning to read and then speak gave her some benefits. She had learned a lot in the span of a few hours. She could read what the words were and Miko explained to her what they meant. Smokescreen had been kind enough to teach her the language of Cybertronian and already her processor was begging to learn more.

She read the word carefully on the cardboard.

The word started with a big letter that curved from the top down to the bottom, she knew that was a 'D'. She read the word carefully and played with it for a short time, figuring out how to pronounce it. Finally, it clicked into her and she said, "Dragon."

Miko squealed with excitement and jumped, clapping her hands.

"Primus, you're learning faster than I can write and find more cardboard," Smokescreen joked.

"Learned from the… best," Spiritstrike said, nodding. She didn't exactly have the complete vocal processor to form sentences correctly, but she was getting the hang of it.

She pointed a talon at Miko.

"Another."

"Oh, come on, can't we take a break?" Smokescreen whined.

Miko giggled.

Spiritstrike paused, thinking while humming something. She knew that the gesture was used to show that she was thinking, but Miko had explained to her that it could be used to trick people. So, she tried it, lingering the thought a little bit longer before her muzzle curled into a bemused grin.

"We take break," she nodded.

Smokescreen sighed with relief and threw himself on the floor, splaying his arms and legs in process.

Suddenly, his com-link pinged and he sat up instantly. "Smokescreen here."

" _Smokescreen, we need you up here for a mission,"_ a familiar voice spoke up.

Ultra Magnus.

At the voice of the Autobot commander, Spiritstrike's lips curled and she growled slightly. She had not forgotten what they were planning to do to her soon.

"On my way," Smokescreen said.

There was a pause.

Remembering protocol reluctantly, Smokescreen stiffened and added 'Sir' before hanging up. He stood up. "Sorry guys," he told the two watchers, "duty calls. I'll be sure to kick some Con tailpipes while I'm out there for you."

"You come back soon," Spiritstrike told him, "they kill me when they come back."

Smokescreen's doorwings sagged slightly at the words.

Even Miko's pigtails drooped.

They knew what she meant by 'they'. Soon Ratchet would return with the serum that would surely kill her, and Miko and Smokescreen wouldn't have to teach her anything anymore.

"We make time good together," Spiritstrike said softly. She lowered her head and pressed her snout to Miko. "You good friends, and you made me happy while I still alive."

She then nuzzled Smokescreen's side. "You go now."

Smokescreen nodded, and he dashed away to meet up with his comrades, leaving Miko and Spiritstrike behind.

* * *

When Megatron had sent word that the soon-to-born Predacons were danger by the Autobots, Predaking had not anticipated this. His first and only instinct was to protect his brethren, but it had not been strong enough to protect the female. She had died alone by their own servos and he was going to make them feel the pain she felt ten times fold, but if the others died…

With his inner fire roaring for battle, he bolted through the ground bridge, eager to sink his talons into the mesh of the inferior Cybertronians.

As he came through the vortex, his sensors immediately picked up the scent of one particular mech. He knew this one, this was the white one he and the female had been sent out to look for in their first hunt. He'd almost been buried alive in the rubble, but it had not been enough to stop him, except for one mech that had chosen to interfere and get in his way, but he had been forced to retreat due to the female's severe injuries.

Now, they were both back, probably here to finish the job once and for all.

Well, not on his watch, not while his inner fire burned brightly in his spark.

Something exploded in the cavern and he paused with realisation.

What had happened to them?

Before the explosion, he had heard them scream in pain for a moment, but their cries of agony had now been silenced.

"What have you done to my brethren?" Predaking growled, his face twisting with rage as he stared at the two mechs. He started to charge toward them, the pounding of his footfalls increasing in volume.

Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus braced themselves for what was to come.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

* * *

 **Honestly, I would have done the fight with Predaking, Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack, but we've seen it all before.  
**

 **Predaking kicks their asses, breaks the Hammer, steps on Magnus' hand, blah blah blah. Nope, we're skipping that shit and moving onto more important stuff, m'kay? Like knowing if Ratchet is gonna go through with killing Spiritstrike important? Bwahahaha!**

 **But there you go!**


	9. Unbreakable Spirit

**This chapter is to be taken with caution because there will be a case of human swearing. Miko teaches Spiritstrike a fair few vulgar words that might not be for the faint of heart.**

 **Minors, you have been warned.**

* * *

 **Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

 **Unbreakable Spirit**

* * *

Miko spent the time while Smokescreen had been gone on his mission teaching Spiritstrike more words until the sun had set behind the mountains. By that time the female Predacon had become almost quite fluent with speaking. While she still wasn't perfect, she now had a pretty good idea on what she wanted to say to make Ratchet take a step back and second guess whether killing her was really worth it.

She had a pretty good idea on the words she wanted to use and she couldn't help but grin at the thought of it.

They had been going on with these lessons since the start of the morning and already her vocal processor was starting to hurt, but she was determined to keep pushing her limit.

"So, what's this word here?" Miko asked, pointing to a word that Spiritstrike hadn't seen before.

She tilted her head to one side in question, staring long and hard at the word. While her vocal processor was aching, she wasn't going to let it stop her from trying. From the looks of it, the word started with the letter 'D'.

"D-draaaaa-gon," she worded carefully. "Dragon?"

Miko's eyes sparkled with delight and she let off an excited whoop of giddiness. Spiritstrike had to turn her head away to avoid her audio receptors screaming in discomfort. Once the teenager had settled down, she turned her optics back to her. Miko was giving claps of praise and it filled Spiritstrike with a small hint of pride at her success.

She lowered her head on her forepaws, her nostrils whiffing with mist. A question began to form in the back of her processor, so she decided to ask it. "Miko, what is… a dragon?"

The human girl beamed excitedly. "Dragons are mystical creatures that breathe fire and fly," she explained. "Some have two legs with two wings while others have four with two wings. Heck, some don't have wings at all and just fly as if by magic. In some countries around the world, like Japan or China for example, they're good and protect us. In others, it's a whole different story. England stories tell of dragons kidnapping princesses, hoard gold in caves, steal livestock, and were hunted by knights or dragon slayers. Or so the stories go."

Spiritstrike tilted her head in questioning, quirking an optic in confusion. "Do I… look like a dragon?" she asked.

"Yeah, you're a dragon with two wings, it's really cool!" Miko exclaimed.

"But… I do not… breathe fire," Spiritstrike muttered. "My breath is… cold."

"Yup, there are stories of dragons breathing ice too, which is even cooler!" She threw her arms up in the air dramatically, but when she saw the dull expression on the female Predacon's face plates, she became less enthusiastic. "That was a terrible pun, sorry."

Spiritstrike shrugged her shoulders, having picked up on the body language from Smokescreen, and turned her optics to the windows. She could still hear the birds expressing their freedom and it filled her spark of misery. She wanted to fly free again, she wanted to find him…

Miko caught onto the far away look in the golden optics of the proud Predacon huntress. Guilt began to eat away inside her stomach, and she wished that she could help her escape from the fate that was awaiting her in an hour. But to unbind the chains would require a key embedded with a code that Ultra Magnus carried around on his person, something she doubted she would be able to take from underneath his nose.

She sat down cross-legged and put her chin on her hands, sighing deeply.

Suddenly, Spiritstrike whirled her head toward the door, her optics wide and her nostrils puffed mist in alarm. Miko stood up, now picking up on what she had heard. A pair of heavy footsteps were coming in their direction. Panic gripped her as she looked around frantically. The footsteps were getting louder by the second, and there was no time to leave the hangar. Her eyes eventually spotted a large, empty crate behind Spiritstrike.

As if she sensed what she had in mind, the female Predacon lowered her head and carefully picked the tiny human up in her teeth. She turned behind and stretched her neck, carefully dropping her inside. "Stay," she ordered firmly. "I pretend to be sleeping."

Miko nodded and ducked inside just as Spiritstrike turned away and lowered her body until her head was tucked beneath her right wing. She lessened her supposed breathing and lowered her spark rate on purpose. Were it not for the constant twitching, Spiritstrike would have fooled almost anyone into thinking she was in deep recharge.

The footsteps became louder until a shadow loomed over Spiritstrike. She relaxed her optics and body, giving the appearance that she was unaware of the presence of the Autobot medic.

* * *

Ratchet drew in a deep vent, peering at the terrible needle he was carrying in his right servo. Something told him that what he was doing was wrong, but Optimus had given him the order to put the creature out of its misery. It was far too dangerous for them, and they just didn't have the resources to keep it alive. It was better to put it down and save it the suffering of starving to death, even if it was to doom a revived species.

He slowly approached the Predacon, the needle gleaming with sickeningly green light in the setting sun. The Predacon looked so peaceful with the way it was recharging, and he was once again filled with doubt. He kneeled beside its head, swallowing the nervous build up of fluids in his mouth.

He raised the needle and prepared to put it in the life pulsing vein in the Predacon's neck.

"Put that fucking needle down."

Ratchet halted in his movement, his spark quenching with surprise. He turned to look behind him, expecting to see Arcee, but he saw no one. There was no one else here but him and the… He turned back and saw the Predacon's golden optics staring right at him. Her mouth was opening slowly to reveal her sharp white teeth, her nostrils curled with mist, and the frills beneath her horns were extending in a threatening manner.

Startled, he jumped back, only for the Predacon to lash out with her neck and her solidly built head connected with his chest. He cried out in pain and landed on his back. The Predacon let off an ear-piercing screech of anger and rage. She threw her head back and shot balls of ice at the chains that bounded her wings and legs. The blasts collided with the chains and froze them solid. She lifted her tail and slammed on the chains on her wings, they broke easily thanks to the cold snap. She spread her wings and pushed back on her haunches, roaring as the chains broke away from the ground.

She was finally free!

"Spiritstrike, get away!" Miko cried from behind.

Confused, she looked back at her friend and saw the human waving her arms frantically. Was she hurt? What was she trying to tell her? She soon found out why when she saw the medic getting back on his feet, his servos converting to short swords, swords that could do nothing to her thick hide. She roared and lunged at him. He let out a grunt of surprise as her talons pinned his shoulders to the ground and her tail curled around his legs, holding him in place.

She roared in his face loudly, fluids splashing his face. He flinched and closed his optics in terror.

"Stand down, Predacon!" an all too familiar voice ordered firmly.

She paused and looked up.

Standing in the doorway was Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, and the rest of the Autobots… and Smokescreen. All of them had their weapons pointed at her, ready to fire on the order of their leader.

Mist and frost formed from her mouth and nostrils. None of them would shoot her as long as she had their medic in the way, but she was not going to come quietly, not after she just got her freedom back.

"You stand down," she growled, lashing her tail furiously. "Let me pass and I will not harm your friend."

"Spiritstrike, don't do this," Smokescreen suddenly said.

"You gave the thing a name?!" Ultra Magnus snarled. "How long have you been talking to it?"

"Long enough to use words," Spiritstrike hissed. "Not blame Smokescreen."

"Not?!" Ultra Magnus bellowed, his arm cutting through the air, his energy field spiking with fury.

Spiritstrike's chest expanded and she leaned over Ratchet, her optics flashing with warning. "Let me pass, Prime. No harm will come to your medic if you do."

Optimus' blaster began to glow with power and she extended her talons to prove her point that she wasn't bluffing. She stared at him dead in the optic, showing no fear and no emotion whatsoever. He stared back, his optics squinting as though he was trying to look deep inside her spark.

"Optimus, let her go!"

All heads turned to the crate at the end of the hangar, all of them recognising the voice of the female human. Miko climbed out of the crate and ran toward the two, tears streaming down her hazel brown eyes. She stood between Optimus and the Predacon, arms extended as wide as she could.

"Please, let her go, Optimus," she sobbed, her lips quivering. "She doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Optimus' brows tightened. "She is threatening to harm Ratchet, Miko," he said.

"No choice if you plan to kill me," Spiritstrike snarled.

"She just wants to be free and not be involved with us or the 'Cons," Miko continued. "She doesn't want to fight, but you're not giving her a choice if you keep aiming your guns at her. She's doing what she has to do."

Smokescreen's blaster collapsed into his arm and he stepped beside Spiritstrike's head. Both Miko and the Predacon thought they saw a ghost of a smile forming on his lips. He knew where his place was: between them and the weapons that were planning to hurt his friend.

Optimus vented heavily and lowered his weapon. Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Arcee, and Bumblebee did the same. Ultra Magnus, however, was the most reluctant one to do so, but he did the same. However, his ice blue optics pierced deeply with disappointment at Smokescreen and anger at the Predacon.

Immediately, Spiritstrike's talons loosened on Ratchet's shoulders and she moved away from him. Ratchet quickly scrambled away from her.

"We will let you go, Spiritstrike," Optimus said, his voice devoid of emotion, "but I expect you to never return on the count that you uphold your promise to not fight us or return to the Decepticons."

She nodded. "Not plan to after they left me to do die," she snorted.

She turned to Smokescreen and pressed her snout into his chest, her breath now suddenly warmer. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

"You're welcome," he smiled, petting her on the back of the head and she purred in response.

Her head then turned to the little girl who had believed in her ever since she had arrived in chains. Her muzzle brushed her hair softly. "If you need me," she told her softly, "call me on the com-link. I will come."

Miko smiled brightly as the Autobots parted ways to let her pass. She stretched her talons and unfolded her wings, flicking them slightly to pump the energon through after being held together for so long. But as she passed them, she caught Ultra Magnus staring icily at her and she snorted ice at his pedes, but he didn't flinch, he just stared even harder at her.

But she didn't care, she was free to go wherever she wanted now.

Her wings spread wider than ever before and she roared to the skies that awaited her.

Her home.

Her territory.

Her calling.

She flapped her wings and lifted off the ground for the first time in weeks. She blasted the thrusters in her back and pushed upward, giving her the boost she needed to get airborne once more. Higher and higher she went until the desert ground was far below her. She circled the base for a few minutes and her binocular vision zoomed in to see Miko waving up at her. An updraft caught itself beneath her wings and she flew southward where the mountains and more would be.

* * *

The Predacon was gone, hopefully for good. Optimus hoped he hadn't made a mistake by letting her go, but his staring contest with her told him that she hadn't been lying, merely bluffing to get away from them. Optimus insisted that Ratchet get himself checked over to make sure there was no damage, but there hadn't been any need.

Her head had dented his chest plates, but the only thing that hurt was his pride. Ratchet had disposed of the needle that had threatened Spiritstrike's life, not wanting to do it again. Deep down, Optimus agreed that he had acted irrationally by thinking that putting her down would be the best solution. Thank Primus she had managed to convince them that she was smart enough to not harm anyone.

But this also left a little problem behind.

"You broke protocol by teaching the Predacon how to speak and visiting it every day since it was captured," Ultra Magnus bellowed.

He was berating Smokescreen and Miko, enraged words filling their ears about going behind his back. Smokescreen stood stock still like a good little soldier would, while Miko lay on the couch, her arms behind her head.

"But you were threatening to kill her," Miko protested. "She was protecting herself."

"It kind of was your idea to check her out," Smokescreen joked and Miko rolled her eyes.

"Worked out pretty good, though, didn't it?" she grinned and Smokescreen couldn't help but grin back.

"I'm not done talking!" Ultra Magnus snapped. "You both deliberately disobeyed Optimus' orders to not go near that thing. Worst of all, you taught it how to speak and it convinced us to let it go. What if it decides to re-join Megatron and the other Predacon?!"

"She promised that she wouldn't get involved in our battles," Miko grumbled, folding her arms and pouting. "You Autobots always believe in second chances, don't you?"

Arcee vented and approached Ultra Magnus, placing a servo on his shoulder. "I think you've said enough," she said. "They both understand what they did was wrong, but by doing it, they saved a species from being wiped out." She turned to Miko and Smokescreen, a small smile forming on her lips. "Besides, everyone does deserve a second chance, even if some of them don't deserve it."

Ultra Magnus' lips stiffened and he stormed away, but not before he shot a glare at Smokescreen. "The human gets off easily, but I'll have a word with you later," he huffed. "There will be a punishment for this."

As he walked away, Smokescreen vented with relief. "Hopefully it doesn't involve me scrubbing the hydraulics in his ship," he smirked. "But thanks."

"Don't push it," Arcee chuckled. "What you both did was stupid."

"Stupid, but worth it," Miko laughed.

"I hope for our sakes that it was," Arcee said gloomily and she headed over to Ratchet to discuss their next move.

With the Predacon out and about, and obviously more than willing to put some distance between them, that left the Autobots a chance to find more Predacon fossils. But with Shockwave's laboratory destroyed, they now had to worry about Megatron's next plan of action. Whatever it was, they had to be ready for it.

"Optimus, our proximity sensors just went off," Ratchet suddenly called.

Optimus looked up from a data pad he'd been reading and hurried over, calm stoicism written all over his facial features. "What did they pick up?" he asked as Raf typed furiously on the keyboard.

"Looks like they picked a whole lot of energon signatures heading in our direction."

Optimus' optics narrowed. "Bring it on screen," he ordered.

Raf did so and Miko watched as a large triangle of Decepticon fliers headed straight for their hidden base.

"Scrap," Smokescreen cursed under his breath. "So much for Magnus' punishment today."

"How'd they manage to find our location?" Bulkhead asked.

"We'll figure that out later," Ultra Magnus said stiffly. "Right now our priority is to protect the base at any cost."

"Everyone, ready your weapons," Optimus urged, and he turned to the small humans waiting nervously on the rails. "Stay with Ratchet where it's safe. We will let you know when its over."

Jack saluted and Optimus nodded as he extended his wings and flew outside. He hovered in the sky above the base, his vision checking for any signs of the incoming Decepticons. From what his scanners told him, there were twenty in the air led by Starscream. Raf had sent a message to him, explaining there were at least ten Vehicons on the ground, enough for the those stuck to the ground to deal with.

But Optimus was alone in the skies and he would have to deal with Starscream and his Seekers by himself. However, Starscream was a cunning individual, and a cowardly one as well. The Air Commander wouldn't go through all this trouble just to attack their base almost unprepared. There had to be more to it than that.

His scanners alerted him to the approach of Starscream and his squadron and he quickly brought out his machine gun, power pulsing through its barrel.

Starscream shifted into his bipedal form, followed by his Seekers. All of them hovered in mid-air, their red optics squinted darkly at Optimus with unquenching hated.

"Starscream," Optimus called over the whistling wind, "if you think we were not prepared for your arrival, you are sadly mistaken."

"Hardly a mistake, Prime," Starscream laughed maliciously. "You should know me by now. I always have a plan!"

" _Optimus, a pair of Vehicons broke through and grabbed one of the children!"_

His optics widened in realisation.

Starscream and his Seekers were just a diversion to keep him away from his Autobots.

He powered his thrusters and darted downward, but Starscream was ready and he blasted a missile into his back, damaging his thrusters. Optimus grunted with surprise as he lost altitude. Without his thrusters, he couldn't fly, and without flight all he could was plummet to the grounds below. But he wasn't helpless.

Seekers on all sides of him grabbed him, pushing all their weight on him to make him fall faster. All he could hear was Starscream's laughter and the increasing howls of the wind. He managed to wrestle an arm free from a Seeker's grasp and reached behind his back, grabbing one that had him by the neck. But each one he pulled off, another would replace it. The more he struggled, the more their grip tightened on him, pushing him even faster to his doom.

He thought he heard Ratchet's voice screaming into his com-link, but his audio receptors were deafened by the wind and the velocity. He was falling way too fast and his thrusters far too damaged to save him.

The ground grew closer and closer, and he squinted his optics shut, embracing the possible end.

A familiar roar bellowed from the skies above and a blast of sheer cold whistled past, freezing two of the Seekers that had him by the wings and arms. Something slammed into his body and pried the frozen mechs off him, freeing him. He made out an ice blue and white reptilian figure with golden optics, but it was all a blur.

He was almost blind with trepidation.

The figure ripped off the rest of the Seekers, freezing them and tearing them from his body. Powerful talons seized his shoulders, and a blast of hot air burnt his back plating. Bat like wings flapped furiously to slow their descent.

It then dawned on him who was saving him.

Spiritstrike had returned.

Harder and harder her wings flapped until at long last they were out of danger, now less than a hundred feet in the air. She looked down at him, but didn't say anything as she released her grasp on him. She turned and flew down toward the ground, ignoring the screams of fury from Starscream.

Optimus landed with thud on solid ground and he vented with relief. All around him were frozen bodies of Seekers, but he didn't have time to heed this. One of the children was missing and he had to find them.

Spiritstrike flew above him, her superior vision guiding them. Behind him, he made out Bulkhead and Wheeljack tearing after him and he soon realised why they were so frantic. Miko was the one who had been taken.

His tyres screamed on the dusty road, but Spiritstrike's speed began to increase and she roared.

She'd found them.

* * *

"Let me go!" Miko cried as she struggled uselessly in the strong grip of the Vehicon.

She hadn't expected two of them to infiltrate the base, and she hadn't expected them to easily overwhelm Ratchet. They had come out of nowhere as though they were ghosts and knocked him unconscious. Jack and Raf had managed to hide away, but Miko had been too late to get to a safe place.

Now she found herself in the hands of the two Vehicons. One of them was keeping an eye out for any signs of them being followed, while the other had a tight grasp on her.

"Shut up, human," the mech snapped. "You're lucky Megatron wants you alive."

Miko ceased her struggling, knowing that it was useless to try. She pouted and folded her arms, staring stubbornly at the Vehicon.

"I doubt the medic could recover enough in time to warn the Autobots," the scout grumbled. "Even if he did, we're long gone for their proximity sensors to be able to detect us."

"Nothing beats better than cloaking technology," the second one boasted.

But the other Vehicon didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. A blast of ice appeared from the sky and froze him solid. In his panic, the Vehicon that had Miko whipped around, his blaster primed and ready. "What's happening?" he demanded.

A gust of cold wind blew behind him and something snatched his shoulders. Before he knew what was happening, he was lifted into the sky and he screamed with terror.

"Advice: drop the human and I drop you."

Both the Vehicon and Miko looked up, and Miko could not help but let out a squeal of joy.

"Spiritstrike!"


	10. Traitorous Blood

**This chapter took longer than I expected, hopefully the wait was worth it.**

 **Expect more chapter uploads a little more frequently as the Christmas holidays draw closer.**

* * *

 **Spark of a Predacon**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

 **Traitorous Blood**

* * *

The ice blue and silver dragoness flew higher, still clutching the panicking Vehicon in her talons, who also had a firm grasp on Miko. The higher she flew, the more terrified the drone became. It was difficult to imagine that a Vehicon such as himself would possibly meet his end via the jaws of a monster who could make good on her threat. However, if he did drop the human, she would snuff out his spark and she'd save the miserable human anyway. No one was going to help him in this Primus forsaken situation. He was on his own.

When the Miko started to cough the higher the femme Predacon flew, she knew that time was short. She opened her wings, slowing her rise and flapped to keep herself in place. Now that she was hovering at roughly six thousand feet, judging from her altimeter, Miko was showing signs of difficulty in breathing. She'd have to end this quickly and make good on her threat to the Vehicon.

She brought the drone closer to her snout, her golden optics leering with anger and spite. "Release the human," she snarled between clenched fangs, causing the drone to flinch with each word she spoke. "But if you drop her, I make good on promise by dropping you."

She arched her swanlike neck, the sharp spines rattling threateningly, and her chest panels began to expand, the ice blue glow slowing making its way up her throat. "Drop the human!" she roared.

The terrified drone yelped and slowly opened his clawed servos.

Suddenly, pain erupted through the Predacon's systems between her wings and her entire world blurred into white, her head threw back and screeched with intense agony. The shock of the pain automatically loosened her hold on the mech and she dropped him.

The loose grip the Vehicon had on Miko released her and she plunged to the world below with an ear-piercing scream.

Instinctively, Spiritstrike looked around for her attacker, only to spot a silver and black jet with the Decepticon symbol on its wings flying away from her. She didn't have time to chase down Starscream, her primary objective was to save the human who believed in her, and she was counting on her right at this very moment.

Her wings snapped against her sides and she dove down.

The wind whistled fiercely in her audio receptors, between her wings was pain, her systems weightless in her body, her optics focused on the tiny blur that was Miko, she was moving, but her eyes weren't open.

If Spiritstrike's timing was off, her wings would either break from their sockets or she would meet her death sooner than she expected, and no one would be able to catch the human at all.

Closer and closer she drew, but the ground was fast approaching, and there was little time to spare.

She reached out with a forepaw toward Miko, but she was still too far away.

She'd have to get even closer.

But she couldn't afford to risk injuring Miko than she already was, but her arms were just too short.

Unless…

She'd seen Smokescreen and the other Autobots do it many times when she was still captive. Their limbs were longer and stronger, able to reach what she could not with her useless talons. Smokescreen had done it so many times in front of her, it looked natural and instinctual.

There was little time left, and she only had one shot to make it count.

Momentarily she closed her optics, letting all images of the world fade away into the back of her processor. All Cybertronians had this gift, and she knew deep down that she did too. She felt the changes happening the moment she began to think clearly.

Then the changes began to take shape before her very optics.

Her legs extended, becoming longer and stronger, her wings returned to subspace, her graceful head and neck split and rested upon her back, her tail curled further up her back, her waist turned, her arms became longer, her digits split to become flexible, and a new head emerged from between her shoulders.

With fierce golden optics glowing and she ignited the thrusters on her back and jettisoned forward, pushing her further than she had ever gone before. She extended a new limb out toward the unconscious Miko. She felt her body touch her palm and she opened her chest panels, shoving her inside to protect her from the strong currents.

Every astroseconds she spent in the air, Miko was losing time.

She opened her wings and she fought the urge to cry out with pain as the unexpected force pulled on her muscle cables. But the pain was worth it if it meant keeping Miko from meeting the ground. Her descent slowed somewhat, giving gravity a chance to take her safely down the rest of the way.

The sound of a body crashing and exploding told her that the Vehicon she had threatened had lost its life.

Perhaps if the Grey Flier had not been so careless in attacking her, he would have been alive.

Front flipping when the ground drew closer, she landed with a heavy thud, the impact sending tremors of discomfort up her two back legs, dust, stones, and dirt kicking up and bouncing on her armour.

"Miko!"

Her somewhat dulled audio receptors picked up the worried call of the Green One, the one Miko called Bulkhead if she remembered correctly.

She turned and saw him running toward her, bright blue optics filled with worry for the well being of his charge. Behind him was Smokescreen, with Ratchet, Optimus and the rest hot on his pedes.

She willed her talons to hold their ground when she saw the look on Ultra Magnus' face plates.

She raised her forearms, causing them to slow down.

"What have you done with her, Predacon?" Bulkhead growled warningly, one blaster aimed at her.

They still didn't trust her, even with Smokescreen being only one to not raise a weapon at her.

But she didn't care, trust or no trust. She had done what she had promised Miko.

"Miko safe," she promised as the words rolled off her glossa. She opened her chest panels with a soft hiss, revealing the still unconscious human girl inside. Her exposed flesh was covered in scratches, but her head showed signs of bleeding. Quickly and carefully, Spiritstrike pulled her out and delicately handed her over to Ratchet.

"What happened to her?" Ratchet demanded, his scanner activating.

"The drone tried to hand her over," Spiritstrike explained, keeping a safe distance from them, "the Grey Flier hit me." She pointed upward and they looked up in time to see the grey and black vehicle flying away. "She fell, I had to catch her. She blacked out from not being able to breathe. My arms were too short, not enough time to think, so I changed my shape… like Smokescreen showed me."

"Figures Starscream would stoop to a low level to harm a human," Arcee hissed, but she still kept her blaster primed and pointed at the femme Predacon.

"Ratchet, attend to Miko," Optimus ordered, and he turned to Bulkhead, "go with him, I know she needs you."

Bulkhead nodded gratefully and helped Ratchet get his beloved charge into his ambulance form. Together, the two drove back to base, leaving the rest of the Autobots to deal with the Predacon.

"Why did you come back?" Optimus questioned her.

She looked down at her flexible digits, twitching them and watched in fascination at how easily they moved, giving her a wide range of use. It seemed like being in this bipedal form gave an advantage, even if she preferred to be comfortable in her true form.

Finally getting over her curiosity over her new form, she looked deeply into Optimus' optics.

"Because," she explained, keeping her tone neutral, "Miko need my help. I not owe anything to you two-legged walkers but owe to Miko and Smokescreen, they help me when I alone and scared. Taught me how to talk, still have lot to learn. Said I come back if needed."

"You wouldn't help unless it benefitted you," Ultra Magnus frowned.

She turned to him slowly, her optics burning, and she watched with secret satisfaction when he flinched. "It does not… benefit me at all to help Miko," she snorted. "But you only have him as flier." She pointed at Optimus. "He get hurt easily had I not helped. Could have been killed. No more Prime."

Smokescreen glanced between Optimus and the vice commander. "She makes a fair point," he said. "Optimus would have gone offline had she not arrived on time, plus she did save Miko from the Vehicons. Besides, we could always use another flier on the team."

"I not stay at base where not welcomed," Spiritstrike pointed out. "Make your uptight friend have something up his aft that crawled and died, see way he looks at me, sees me as enemy."

Ultra Magnus glared dangerously at her, but she ignored him.

Optimus stepped closer, but this time she found herself willing to let him get closer until she was almost level with his chest panels. "While you did help us save Miko – Spiritstrike was it? – you are still a Predacon that was brought back to life by Shockwave, something that was dangerous to everyone thousands of years ago."

She lowered her head dejectedly.

"However."

She blinked, confused.

"But we do need more allies if we are to win this war, and Predaking is someone who is more than willing to destroy us if we cross paths with him again."

"Predaking… is the name of…" She didn't know the correct word to use for this situation. Did she still consider him as a friend? She shook her head, biting her bottom lip for a moment. "All I want for us is to live in peace and not fight anymore. All I have known is fighting, hunting, and tracking. I failed the Grey King. He sent me away to die."

She clenched her fists tightly and she looked Optimus deep in the optics.

"I not fight for you," she said firmly, "I not join the Autobots, not wear your mark. But… if need me again for bad time, Miko or Smokescreen call me." She pointed at Smokescreen and he nodded to confirm his promise.

"Keep in touch, will you?" he asked.

She smiled softly. "Promise."

She vented deeply and willed herself to become her true form once again, spreading her wings and the Predacon symbol on her chest plates glowed dimly in the fading light of the sun. She roared to the heavens and flapped powerfully, flying high into the sky and then headed westwards to parts unknown.

* * *

The wind howled violently as a storm began to break across the sky, each flash of lightning seemed to make every ounce of the sky ominous and forbidding. But even a little light show wasn't going to stop Starscream from reaching his destination.

Behind him, the last two remaining survivors of his Seeker Squadron lagged behind, but he didn't care. He had to get to the Nemesis as quickly and as urgently as possible.

After their encounter with the Autobots, he hadn't expect the femme Predacon to be alive, let alone assisting the Autobots and protecting the humans. It made him sick to his tanks that such a vile and violent creature would stoop so low as to even help those goodie, goodie two shoes.

He ignored the groans of pain on his rear end and pushed his thrusters harder, the Nemesis now in clear sight.

" _This is Commander Starscream requesting landing permission,"_ Starscream said over the com-link.

" _This is Bridge Command, we read you Commander,"_ came a drone's response. _"You're clear for landing."_ There was a pause before the drone spoke again, its tone dropping with a hint of nervousness, _"You're a few members short of your Squadron, Commander."_

" _Don't you think I know that?"_ Starscream snapped.

" _Of course, I apologise, Commander,"_ the drone said hastily. _"Proceed."_

Starscream dipped his wings and transformed into his bipedal mode, followed by the others. He whirled around and pointed a claw at the two, his red optics narrowing, "Hurry up and see Knock Out!"

They saluted weakly and scurried away, but not before they leapt aside when they saw who was lying near the entrance of the ship.

Predaking.

The male Predacon was curled up in his draconian form, his head resting on his forepaws and his long tail coiled neatly around the rest of his frame, his optics were closed in supposedly deep recharge.

Starscream growled softly but restrained himself. The last thing he needed was a few scrapes and dents from an angry Predacon. Just because he had proven himself a valuable ally, he was dangerous and shouldn't be toyed with. He was secretly glad they had disposed of the rest of Project Predacon, but… if Predaking found out that his femme companion was still alive…

He tensed and slowly stepped around the Predacon as quietly as he could.

He had to get this message to Lord Megatron as quickly as possible before Predaking got wind of it.

Predaking twitched and began to stir, smoke escaping from his olfactory sensors.

He stopped mid-step.

The Predacon's breathing increased for a split second, but then lessened and he turned his head in the opposite direction, his snoring louder than before.

Starscream released a vent he hadn't realised he'd been holding and quickly made his way inside, relieved that he had managed such a feat. No one was as silent and as sneaky as he was and he took pride in that. He chuckled as the door closed behind him and he made a mad dash for the Bridge, hoping that Megatron was there.

But he was unaware of the narrowed golden slits of the Predacon's optics, his brow twisting into a suspicious frown.

Starscream bolted onto the Bridge, gasping and spluttering with urgency.

Megatron was there, just like he thought he would be.

But so were the last two mechs he wanted to ever speak to.

The silver tyrant turned around slowly, his blood red optics narrowing dangerously. "Starscream," he sneered.

Starscream's wings stiffened warily when he caught the other two also looking in his direction.

"M-M-Master," he stammered nervously.

"Do pray tell why you returned from your mission with only two members of your Seekers," Megatron said almost pleasantly as he stalked toward his Commander slowly.

Starscream knew that Megatron was fooling him into a false sense of security, but he couldn't help but cower beneath the terrifying shadow of the Decepticon Leader. "We… we attacked the base just like you ordered, Master," he said, unable to stop himself from trembling.

"Oh, do go on," Megatron drawled, gesturing.

"One of my Seekers managed to capture the female human that the Autobot Bulkhead was attached to," Starscream continued, "but… but there was…"

Megatron rolled his optics. "Yes?"

"The femme Predacon is alive!" Starscream shouted.

A deep threatening growl vibrated through the gloom in the large Decepticon's vocal processor and Starscream suddenly found himself falling to the floor on his hands and knees, cowering pathetically at the pedes of his master.

"She… she helped them by freezing most of the drones," he explained, "her breath froze them in an instant and shattered them into a million pieces. She rescued the female human. I shot her in the back but she managed to save the human from falling to her death! I wasn't expecting her to be alive, nor did I think she would help the Autobots, I swear!"

Megatron raised an arm and sliced his claws across Starscream's face plates, he screamed with shock as energon oozed from two open wounds. He kneed the Commander in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him, and then elbowed the back of his neck. Starscream collapsed, gasping with pain and spitting energon from his mouth.

"You blundering idiot, Starscream!" Megatron snarled, raising a ped and stamping hard on Starscream's head. "If Predaking hears that she is alive and is assisting the Autobots, I'll rip out your spark from its case and feed it to Predaking. Not a word of this is to leave this room," he glared at the rest of the drones to prove a point, "UNDERSTOOD?!" he bellowed.

The drones turned away while Shockwave merely nodded, and Soundwave remained silent.

Megatron removed his ped and stormed up to Soundwave, who dipped his head respectfully.

"Monitor all feeds for any communications with the Autobots," he growled. "We must hasten our progress." He then turned to Shockwave. "See what you can find out about Synthetic Energon."

Both mechs bowed respectfully and dispersed, but not before Megatron halted Shockwave in his tracks.

"And pick up this lump of scrap," he hissed.

Shockwave didn't respond but did as he was told, grabbing Starscream by the arm and dragged him to Knock Out's medical bay, the pathetic Commander groaned with pain as they left, with the doors snapping shut behind them, unaware of someone watching and listening from a nearby room, their golden optics glinting softly in the darkness.

His companion really was alive. He could scarcely believe it, he was certain she had died according to the Grey Flyer's words. But then again, he always was a treacherous snake when it came to using his glossa.

However, it seemed like the Grey King had no intention of wanting to let him know. Shouldn't he be thrilled that she was? It didn't make any sense at all, and he was determined to find her and get an explanation from her. Why did she help the ones that had played their role in destroying the beginnings of their kind? Didn't she care about the preservation of their species?

He had to find her, and quickly, before they noticed that he was aware of their secret.

He quietly stalked through the corridors of the flying fortress, determination welling up inside his spark. He was feeling all kinds of different emotions: relief that she was alive, joy that they could continue their mission, caution over her assistance with the opposite faction, and anger at the Grey Flyer for lying to him about her destruction.

Once he was at the doors to the launch pad, he growled warningly at the two guards that stood on either side. They cowered weakly at the mere sound he made and he felt pride that such pathetic creatures would be afraid of him.

"If Lord Megatron asks of my whereabouts, you will tell him I've gone on patrol," he growled, flexing his talons menacingly.

They nodded quickly and opened the doors, letting him pass. He opened his wings and took off into the sky, his olfactory, audio and optical sensors on keen alert. He'd have to treat this like a hunt, her scent still lingered at the back of his processor and he immediately picked it up, although it was very faint in the storm filled air, but he knew it well.

He flapped his wings once, catching them on an updraft and soared westwards.


End file.
